6 bad habits holding you back from being as mentally strong as you can be

You might think the absence of fear is a sign of strength. But this is far from true. If you never feel scared, it's likely that you aren't pushing yourself to do challenging things.

Doing things that scare you a little — whether it's anything from giving a volunteer presentation to launching a business — helps you grow stronger.

Just like you need to create tension on your biceps to grow bigger arms, you also need some tension in your life to develop bigger mental muscles. Challenge yourself to do more regardless of whether you succeed. You'll learn valuable life lessons in the process.

Your emotions affect every decision you make. Research shows that people play it safe when feeling anxious. You're more likely to take impulsive risks when angry or embarrassed. And during a negotiation, you're likely to settle for less when you're feeling sad, because you won't want to risk being rejected.

Yet there's a good chance you spend very little time thinking about your feelings. Consequently, you may not notice how your emotions are clouding your judgment.

Invest a few minutes into thinking about how you're feeling. Just naming your emotions can help you gain insight into how your feelings affect the way you think and the action you're likely to take. Labeling your feelings can also help take a bit of the sting out.

A busy schedule can make you feel important. But a full calendar also leaves little room for reflection, personal development, and mental strength training.

Building mental muscle often requires more "being" and less "doing." Practicing mindfulness, for example, requires a conscious effort. You won't see immediate results. And you might even feel guilty for not being "productive."

But everyone has room in their busy lives to grow bigger mental muscles — if mental fitness is a priority. Once it is, you'll become more effective in every aspect of life.

Everything from the news you watch, to the people you follow on social media, affects your mental fitness. But most of us are passive about what we consume on a daily basis. Endless scrolling and mindless channel flipping can drain you of mental strength for a few reasons.

Research consistently shows that news stories increase our anxiety. Allowing yourself to be bombarded by the news all day long can cause you to focus on catastrophic events.

Studies also show that our mood tends to plummet after spending just a few minutes on social media. We tend to compare ourselves to other people and assume they live better lives than we do.

Being more intentional about your media consumption can help you stay strong. In fact, you can even use media to help you build mental muscle. Follow inspirational people on social media, use apps that help you stick to healthier habits, and take online courses that help you develop a healthier mindset.