Many people talk about Mental Strength as though it is one simple skill or character trait.
If you are strong enough mentally, you can just grit your teeth and get on with it and get to the other end in one piece (more or less).
You are mentally tough or you’re not.
Come on.
Just do it.
Grit your teeth.
Suck it up.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
In reality, as usual, nothing is quite that simple.
Negative emotions linger longer. Why?
Why is it that negative emotions and feelings are so hard to get rid of? They pop into our minds intrusively and regularly without any sort of encouragement and make us feel bad, often when we are trying to relax, interrupting sleep, appetite and other pleasurable activities.
On the other hand, pleasant, happy and positive emotions and feelings are much more transient, disappearing quickly and easily, even though we would like to hold on to them.