Building resilience...

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Resilient people have the capacity to adapt successfully, the tenacity never to quit and to be able to pick themselves up, as many times as it takes.

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The good news is that resilience can be learnt and we can all do things to put ourselves in the best position to raise our resilience threshold.  The more we practise the more resilient we become.

 

Here are some areas to think about to make yourself more resilient:

 

• Have a purpose and goals - by having clear goals and our own ‘personal why’ can help us have a clear sense of purpose and when we have this we are more likely to bounce back from setback because our purpose is meaningful to us and it gives us the determination to keep going.  Think about what your goals are and what your purpose is for the key areas of your life.

 

• Keep your internal dialogue positive - staying optimistic during challenging times can be difficult, but maintaining a hopeful outlook is an important part of resilience.  Positive thinking does not mean ignoring the problem in order to focus on positive outcomes, it means understanding that setbacks are temporary and that you have the skills and abilities to combat the challenges you face.  Where you are dealing with might be difficult, but it is import to remain hopefully and positive about a brighter future.

 

• Keep growing and learning - reading about other people who have experienced and overcome a similar problem can be both motivating and give you other ideas on how to cope.  Keep reflecting on your behaviours, thoughts and actions and identify where you managed well in difficult situations before but also be honest and take the time to think about what didn’t work, so you can be better prepared next time.

 

• Problem solve - change can be daunting, however try to take a step back and think about possible solutions and then break these down into manageable steps and from this set realistic goals.  Simply waiting for a problem to go away on its own only prolongs the situation.  Actively working on solutions will also help you feel more in control.

 

• Look after yourself - when your stressed it can be all too easy to neglect your own needs.  Not eating well, exercising or getting enough sleep can impact on our ability to be resilient, focus on looking after yourself and make time for activities that you enjoy.  By taking care of your own needs, you can boost your overall health and resilience and be ready to face life’s challenges.

 

• Have strong social connections - many people believe that being resilient is to be mentally strong enough to take on challenges alone.  But in face, the ability to know when to reach out to others for support is a key component of being resilient.  Having people around you that you can confide in and talk through your situation won’t make your troubles go away, but it does allow you to share your feelings, receive positive feedback and come up with some solutions and options to move forward.

 

• Focus on what you can control - resilient people spend their time and energy focusing on situations and events that they have control over, by putting your efforts where you can have an impact and not worrying about those areas you can do nothing about can help you feel empowered and more confident.

 

• Seek feedback - by continually seeking feedback you raise your self awareness and can practise continues improvement.  None of us are perfect and can always learn from previous experience and constructive feedback from others, again which will help us be better prepared for the next challenges we will face.