12 Reasons Why People From Texas Are Unbelievably Tough

Obviously, living in Texas is something to be incredibly thankful for – not everyone gets to experience the best state in the country in their lifetime. However, there are a few things about living in the Lone Star State that make us more resilient, thick-skinned human beings. Here are 12 of the top reasons we believe that people from Texas are some of the toughest people around.

We have to deal with brutal, sweltering summers that last anywhere from 5-7 months of the year. Whew, at least fall is fast approaching!

rubengarciajrphotography/flickr

And with those hot summer temperatures come buckets of rain that sometimes lead to flooding. This is exactly why we drive big trucks in Texas.

steve rainwater/flickr

We fight off swarms of mosquitoes almost daily in the summertime. Going outside after it rains? Better bring that bug spray.

enrique dans/flickr

We must navigate the crazy traffic in our ever-growing cities since everyone and their mother seem to be moving here. (Can you blame them, though?)

stuart seeger/flickr

Speaking of cities, Texas employs a lot of hard-working people. We have one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, and many Fortune 500 companies.

ken lund/flickr

Outside of corporate life, we also believe in sustainable living and doing things ourselves, like growing our own food. We don’t mind spending hours in the garden if it means fresh produce.

agrilife today/flickr

We also have to watch out for all sorts of poisonous and deadly wildlife, like this nice little fellow.

tom spinker/flickr

If you live in North Texas or the Panhandle, you have to watch the skies for these beasts, especially since Texas has more tornadoes than any other state.

lane pearman/flickr

And then if you live along the coast, you get to deal with an entirely different weather disaster: hurricanes. And the cleanup afterwards is no walk in the park.

alejandro polanco/flickr

We aren’t afraid to get a little mud on our boots.

robert thigpen/flickr

After a hurricane or bad storm, many people need help, and Texans will put their lives on the line in order to help others.

chuck simmins/flickr

We get a lot of crap about our state, but we will defend Texas no matter what because we know there’s just no place like home!

texas state library and archives commission/flickr

What else makes Texans a tough bunch? Let us know in the comments!