Creating resilience in changing times

Why are some people able to embrace the challenges of life, while others choose to get lost in the emotions of anger frustration, blame and resentment?

Resilience is described by the American Psychology Association as the ‘process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health challenges, or workplace and financial stressors.’

Those people who fail to adopt strategies of resilience in their lives often find that they are either stressed out, or overwhelmed, or lack self confidence, or possess low self esteem, or they are focusing on some other un-resourceful emotions.

As a consequence of living in these types of states, it can lead to a negative impact on our health, our relationships, our energy, our experiences, our results and ultimately, our fulfilment.

Those who learn and practice resilient behavioural strategies are able to ‘bounce back’ quicker from difficult experiences than those who don’t practice resilience. And without a doubt, those who are able to recover from challenge, rather than fall apart, have several characteristics in common. These type of traits include:

• Willingness to stretch self even when it feels uncomfortable
• View challenges not as problems but as opportunities for growth
• Not defining self by failures
• Have the courage to reach out to others for support during difficult times
• Continue to persist onward through challenges with a view to overcoming them

Here are three simple tips to support a practice of resilience and manage the challenges that come along:

• Ask yourself, what is the gift of learning and expansion for you in the experience you are facing
• Choose to look at your situation from a different perspective – from someone else’s perspective or from a different angle or from the perspective you were meant to experience this challenge for your greater good: is it really as bad as you are telling yourself?
• Develop a daily practice of gratitude: either journal what you are grateful for or take time out at the beginning and/or during and/or at the end of the day to focus on what you truly appreciate: what you like, what you enjoy, what you love, what you are grateful for.

Be empowered.