Supporting Your Resilience

Resiliency is our ability to deal with and overcome life’s tough situations. The best ways to build your resilience are knowing how to solve problems, trusting your own strengths, and having people to support you.

Some of these tips might be a bit difficult to take on, and that’s okay. Resiliency isn’t an easy skill to build. Think about a tree in a windstorm. The tree may be resilient enough not to fall over, but it still might lose some leaves. When you continue to work on building your resilience you get better at facing life’s storms.

Note which skills you already use to build your resiliency. Add on whatever works for you and keep coming back to try something new.

• Focus on what you can control
  • We have choices on how we react to things within our day. Understand and accept that things change. When things feel “out of control,” notice how you react to what happens around you. Focus on the choices you can make.
• Remember what you do well
  • Think about and take note of your successes in life and how they made you feel.
• Make goals for yourself
  • Having goals helps you work toward something, even when life puts roadblocks in your way. You can always refocus on your goals and think on what you’ve already done to reach them. Even completing small goals can make you feel good!
• Find your purpose
  • What gets you out of bed each morning? It might be different every day, and it might be something small. Connecting with something bigger can help you feel supported and motivated in life. It can also be something you come back to in hard times. 
• Get support from others
  • Who’s helped you get through tough times before? Lean on the supportive people around you. It helps to talk to and learn from people you trust. You can also get confidential support from others by connecting with 988.
• Use mistakes as a chance to learn
  • If things went “wrong” in your day think about ways to work around them in the future. We can't keep bad things from happening, but we can improve our ability to handle them. Don’t blame yourself for a failure but look it as a chance to learn and grow.
• Feel your emotions
  • Notice and give yourself time to sit with what you are feeling. Then take a step back and look at the big picture. Know that hard times don’t last forever, and you can change your outlook on just about any situation.
• Nurture your spirituality
  • Do you turn to faith or spirituality when things feel tough? Some people pray. Other people meditate. Many connect with nature. Connecting with something bigger can help you feel supported in life. You can also practice deep breathing or try out another mindfulness activity. Use the spiritual tools that work for you.

You might find things too overwhelming, and these tips don’t seem to help. Consider trying therapy, even for a short time. A professional can help you develop healthy thought patterns and behaviors to further build your resilience. The sooner you face the things you struggle with, the easier they are to overcome.

Sometimes it’s easy to go through your day without being in tune to what’s going on within you and around you. With all the multi-tasking and constant device use, it’s easy to feel like you’re on autopilot. Being “mindful” changes that. It is the process of being aware of what’s happening and staying in the moment. It’s not easy to do, but can have many positive effects on your wellbeing. Including, but not limited to:

• Strengthening and even rewiring your brain
• Healthier reactions to stress
• Enhanced relationships with others
• Improved memory

Mindfulness Activities

These activities can help you practice mindfulness no matter where you are.

• Use your senses
  • Take a moment to notice what you can see, smell, hear, touch or even taste right now. Are you moving or staying still? Are your feet under you or in front of you? Where are your hands?
• Find an object and examine it closely
  • What parts of the object can you see from your perspective. Can you see multiple layers or just the surface? Describe it as detailed as possible. If you can interact with the object, how?
• Use your imagination
  • Get into a comfortable position. Close your eyes or rest your gaze. Picture a place in your mind that is soothing or safe for you. What do you see? Are you alone or are other people there? Are you sitting, lying down, or walking? What are the sounds around you? Take a few moments and just be present in your safe place.
• Practice stillness
  • Find a comfortable position & focus on staying still. Take steady breaths and notice the sensations and thoughts that happen. Don’t judge yourself, but just notice. How does staying still make you feel?
• Embrace Waiting
  • If you find yourself waiting anywhere, look at what’s around you. Who do you see? What thoughts do you have? Don’t judge your observations, just notice them. Pay attention to your breathing. Is it fast or is it slow? Take note of each thing you do while you wait, like each step you take forward and each time you shift your body weight. Stay present instead of letting your mind wander.
• Have a cup of tea or coffee
  • Next time you have a cup of coffee or tea, notice and describe the flavors. Feel the liquid move from your lips, to inside your mouth and down your throat. Take in the aroma. Feel the temperature. Note the way the cup feels in your hands.
• Try a mindful meal
  • Make your next meal a chance to stay present. Do not allow distractions. Turn off the TV and put the phone down. Step away from your computer and focus on each aspect of eating. Feel the texture of the food. Can you taste all the flavors? What do you smell? How many times do you chew before you swallow?
• Focus on a chore
  • Do any household chore and pay full attention to it. Notice what you see, hear and feel as you are doing the task. 

Mindful Movements

Try these different movements and see which one feels best for you. If you find one doesn’t work for you, try another or adjust to fit your needs.

• Go on a rainbow walk
  • Take a walk and look for things that are the different colors of the rainbow in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Did you find them all?
• Dynamic Stretching
  • Stretching is a great way to get the blood flowing and connect with our bodies. It can even increase our range of motion and decrease our risk of injury.
• Posture
  • Your posture can affect your mind and body too. Poor posture can lead to pain, headaches, and restricted breathing. Good posture can improve all of these and more. It can help build your resilience, increase confidence, and boost your mood.
  • Notice when you feel slouching and correct yourself. The goal is for your posture to be straight without stiffness.
     

Wellness isn't a destination, but an ongoing journey. It's something you have to keep working toward throughout your life. Focusing on your wellbeing helps you handle whatever life throws your way. Yet even when you are at your best, things can get overwhelming. The good news? You can prepare yourself for tough times by practicing self-care and by learning ways to calm yourself.

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