How To Build a Thick Skin: 5 Strategies for Handling Tough Situations

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Image Credit: Pexels/ Samer Daboul

Developing thick skin takes time, constant practice, and intentionality. A person with thick skin will never get involved in unnecessary fights. Thick-skinned individuals are usually able to assess a situation before reacting. Sometimes even when they are criticized, they rarely respond. To this end, for a more fulfilling experience in life, it is best to develop such a positive ability.

Five Ways To Build A Thick Skin

As spelled out earlier, thick skin makes a person less emotional and reactional. When people have thick skin, they care less about people’s opinions of them. This doesn’t mean that they are shielded from constructive criticism. However, this means that they strategically filter words that should affect their behaviors. Here is how:

Be Aware That Not Everyone Means Harm

It might seem untrue at first, but not everyone is filled with negativity. There is always a reason why the criticisms are constant. The criticism might come every time only because a person keeps repeating similar mistakes. But if an individual has the mindset that everyone means harm, change will be difficult.

People with no thick skin often fail to analyze matters correctly. They get distracted by the tone of the critic. Rather than focus on the message, they believe negative energy is out to get them. On the other hand, thick-skinned people find it easy to move on from criticism. They rarely get offended or defend their actions.

Be Conscious And Think Positively

A lack of positive thinking leaves an individual less productive. This in turn makes them more vulnerable with emotions. They often have low self-esteem and lack confidence in their deeds. Being put down by an outsider is one thing, but if it comes from personal thoughts, there’s a problem.

A lack of consciousness about a person’s self-worth would always induce emotional instability. Emotional instability makes it difficult to build a thick skin. Embracing positivity boosts one’s confidence and they begin to pay attention to the things that matter.

Knowing Self-Purpose

There is a purpose for everyone’s life. This is what they live for. However, not everyone gets a chance to fulfill their purpose. Strangely, it takes almost a lifetime for some people to realize this. While some may change the tide, others aren’t opportune to do so. But in order not to take on such a risky ride in life, it is best one get familiar with their purpose early enough.

Purposefulness calls for intentional living, and setting goals, and priorities. Discovering one’s purpose influences their decisions and lifestyle. At this point, nothing else really matters. But this is when a person is ready to develop thick skin.

Reflect On Choices

It’s difficult, but you have to be aware of the mistakes before others point it out. So that when others do, it doesn’t come as a rude shock. Practicing a retrospective attitude makes a person more conscious of their actions and less attentive to the chattering from outside.

Be Less Judgmental

Learning how to be less judgmental about one’s self boosts a person’s positivity. Ultimately, this leads to self-acceptance and energy level. A person with self-confidence is less likely to worry about the naysayers. Oftentimes, they develop thick skins to protect their happiness. They are aware that people can be entitled to their feelings. But also know that other people’s opinions shouldn’t rule their lives.

Final Note

Having thick skin helps one to become motivated about life’s challenges. An individual is also less worried about people’s opinions. However, they pay attention to the criticisms while controlling the narrative. When the need for confrontation arises, it never gets out of hand as they know even to duck out.

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