We can all take steps to reduce stressful emotions in the face of hardship by strengthening our resilience. Resilience refers to the capacity of an individual to cope with stress, overcome adversity or adapt positively to change. Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have, rather it involves behaviours, thoughts and actions which can be learned and enhanced. By strengthening resilience you will be better able to persevere through any of life's challenges.
The American Psychological Association suggests “10 Ways to Build Resilience”:
1. Make and Maintain Connections - Maintaining good relationships with close family members, friends and people in the community are important. Reaching out to someone you trust can be comforting and supportive as this positive action allows you to talk through your feelings, thoughts and reactions.
2. Remember that Some Crises are Beyond Your Control - A person cannot change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but a person can change how they interpret and respond. Focusing your attention on what you do have control over promotes coping and resilience.
3. Accept that Change Is a Part of Life - You will be able to find ways to adapt to changing circumstances, e.g. establishing goals and taking decisive actions.4. Move Toward Your Goals - Develop realistic goals and move toward these goals by asking yourself, “what’s one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?”
5. Take Decisive Actions - Rather than detaching completely from problems, stresses and wishing the problem would go away, take action.
6. Look for Opportunities to Self Discovery -Try to understand your own experiences of dealing with loss, hardship or emotional problems. Look for opportunities of self discovery after adversity as people often learn something about themselves and find the experiences create opportunities for personal growth.
7. Develop a Positive View of Yourself - Look for and develop positive traits and view yourself positively to build your confidence in your strengths and abilities.
8. Keep Things in Perspective - Try to consider these stressful circumstances in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. You have tackled past affliction that may have felt overwhelming at the time. Tap into those successful skills to get through current challenges.
9. Maintain an Optimistic Outlook - Having an optimistic and hopeful outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen.10. Take care of yourself - Engage in healthy behaviours like eating well, regular exercise, plenty of rest and relaxing activities. Boosting your physical well-being is also good for your emotional health and can enhance your ability to cope.
If you are struggling on your own and nothing seems to be working it might be helpful to see a professional who can help you look at the situation objectively and help you find ways to cope.
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