Resiliency

In these uncertain and taxing times, building resiliency can help you manage stress and be kind to yourself when you need it most. Read on for tips to build resiliency.

What is resiliency?

Have you ever been asked to be resilient? The term "resiliency” is often thrown around, but what does it actually mean?

At its core, resiliency is a return to its original form; the ability to be stretched and then bounce back; to recover from adversity or illness – physical or mental. Everyone experiences life stressors and reacts to stress differently. Some people bounce back quickly, while it takes others longer. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula.

It is certainly okay to feel down after adversity in your life, but it is important to pick yourself back up. Learning how to be resilient can help you manage stress or trauma more positively and find the right balance of positive and negative emotions to appreciate what you have.

Strategies for being resilient

While being resilient is much easier said than done, it is actually a skill that can be developed and nurtured over time. Learning resilience is a personal process - it involves developing thoughts and behaviors that allow you to bounce back from stressors in your life.

Here are 5 strategies to enhance your resilience:

Honor your feelings and emotions. Feelings are meant to be felt! Give yourself time but believe that you have it within you to move.      forward. With each setback you experience, you are building resilience for the next.

Focus on what you can control and problem solve.

Counter unhelpful thinking – if you can’t stop thinking about something, write or speak about it a couple of times over a month for        about 15 minutes and then try to lock it away. Notice how your perspective becomes clearer, or your story changes.

Create a caring community – connect and surround yourself with those who support you on a regular basis.

It is important to be kind to yourself. What would you say to a friend who was having a hard time? Now say that to yourself

It takes time

Learning resiliency has been compared to learning how to play a stringed instrument. When you first start, your fingers are probably sore, and you may become frustrated. A person practicing resilience will push past that discomfort and realize that there is joy ahead that comes from playing. Your fingers become tougher with practice and playing becomes fun and effortless. This is a great metaphor for resilience – it is a character trait and strength that can be learned. Patience with yourself is important too – change does not happen overnight and learning to be resilient is a process. 

Share with the community

What does being resilient look like to you? How are you being resilient in these unprecedented times? Share and get tips from the community.

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