Resiliency
Resiliency is the ability to manage what life throws at you whether it is day-to-day events or the surprise extraordinary. Being resilient doesn’t mean you are free of stress. It means that you have met the physical, emotional, and intellectual needs to cope, carry on, and return to status quo. A strong resilient mindset has many moving parts and takes regular practice to foster your ability to adapt and become more emotionally flexible.
Let’s take a look some resiliency components:
Positive Self-Talk – Respect yourself enough to challenge negative thoughts. When irrational thinking takes over your mind, stop. Taking a pause from your actions will give your brain a chance to catch up and reel in the perspective. Give yourself a little pep-talk and change your thoughts to positive.
Reframing – While you are paused, consider hovering above your situation or thoughts. See them from a different point of view. By stepping away from the situation, you allow yourself to focus on your strengths and can see other options more clearly.
Past Experiences – Learn from past experiences both yours and others. Were previous reactions or strategies effective? What would you do differently next time?
Life-Long Learning – Foster a curious attitude and keep learning. Nurture your current interests and be adventurous. Take appropriate risks to strive for new goals.
Relationships – Build and maintain connections with family and friends. Spend time with them and express your feelings of gratitude at every opportunity. Ask for support when you need it and be available to provide support.
Communication – Be mindful of your emotions as they can influence your communication. Display appropriate assertiveness to get your needs met, but even more importantly, listen. Undistracted listening is vital to getting the most out of a talk with others.
Humor – Nourish your sense of joy by spending time with people who humor you. Be flexible and learn to take yourself less seriously. Find things to smile about. After all, laughter offers a multitude of health benefits.
There are a lot of characteristics, sometimes overwhelming; pick one, tend to it, cultivate it, own it.
Which of these practices resonated with you? Where will you begin your resilient journey?
