13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

The third book that I read for my black belt test was “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.” This book was written by a social worker and therapist. She shared 13 strategies to help master your mental strength. These are the 13 things and what I learned from each strategy

1. Don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself. Self pity can consume you until it eventually changes your thoughts and behavior
2. Don’t give away your power. Set healthy emotional and physical boundaries with people
3. Don’t shy away from change. Staying the same often leading to getting stuck in a rut
4. Don’t focus on what you can’t control. Focus on solving problems that are within your control
5. Don’t worry about pleasing everyone. Say no when you don’t want to do something
6. Don’t fear taking calculated risks. Be aware of emotional reactions to risk taking
7. Don’t dwell on the past. Move forward in your life, even when it may be painful to do so
8. Don’t make the same mistakes over and over. Acknowledge your personal responsibility for each mistake
9. Don’t resent other people’s success. Resentment can consume your entire life
10. Don’t give up after the first failure. View failure as a learning opportunity
11. Don’t fear alone time. Learn how to appreciate silence 
12. Don’t feel the world owes you anything. Develop healthy amounts of self-esteem
13. Don’t expect immediate results. Celebrate milestones along your journey

My current Challenge progress as of June 22, 2026.