Resiliency is the ability to cope with change or stress in a healthy manner. Some people naturally have a higher level of resiliency than others, it is partly a function of temperament; however, there are skills that can be learned and strategies that can be adopted that wil be helpful to many people in increasing their resiliency
One of the first things you can do to increase your resiliency to daily pressures is to develop healthy relationships with people who are positive themselves and who are supportive of you. Surrounding yourself with positive people will have a positive effect on you. Attitude is contagious, if you are spending a lot of time with someone who has a negative outlook on life, soon you will begin to look at challenges as obstacles instead of opportunities to learn.
Another thing you can do to help yourself is to set realistic goals for yourself. Outline and define your goals and list the steps you can take to reach each one. Set the bar too high and you may give up when your goal feels unachievable, set the bar too low and the sense of achievement will be minimal. Try also not to compare yourself to others, we are all different and special in our own ways, what is realistic for another may not be realistic for you.
Understanding your emotions can also help in a search for resiliency. Knowing why you are upset can help you decide what can realistically be done about difficult situations. When we are confused or unsure about what we are feeling, it is difficult to take any course of action.
Try to maintain an internal sense of control. While many situations and circumstances are beyond our control, our response to them is not. Try to laugh at life’s problems. Thinking about a problem that seemed insurmountable in the past and was overcome may help.
Working on developing your spiritual side can have a very positive effect on resiliency. Having faith larger than yourself has a calming effect. Open yourself up to your spiritual self and it may help your coping skills.
Exercise also can have an awesome effect on life. Walk, run, ride a bike, work out. Regular exercise releases endorphins which relax the body and consequently the mind.
Remember to look outside yourself. We can all get caught up in our own lives and problems, and forget to look at the big picture. Helping someone else with a problem can be a great morale booster.
Last, but not least, do not give up. As with anything worthwhile, it isn’t easy to develop coping skills but the effort is worth it in the long run. Remember, all the hard work will pay off in the end.
