You may know people who have suffered profound losses in their life, yet have gone on to be successful and happy. You may know others who were completely derailed from these experiences. What is the difference between these two groups? Resilience.
Resilience is the quality of being able to cope and adapt in the face of adversity and trauma. Everyone has resilience, but some people are more skilled at applying it well. That being said, resilience isn’t an inherent quality that you either have or you don’t. With practice, you can become a more resilient person.
Create A Strong Support System
Take Care Of Yourself
In the face of extreme stress, it’s common for people to neglect their basic needs. They may lose their appetite, stop exercising, and have difficulty sleeping. This only further aggravates how they’re feeling. Working on building your self-care skills will make it easier for you to take care of yourself in the face of life’s challenges.
Manage Your Emotions
When you’re faced with difficult circumstances, you may experience strong feelings that feel out of control. Resilient people are skilled at managing their own emotions. This doesn’t mean that they don’t experience strong emotions; rather, they are in tune with these emotions and don’t let them control their behavior. They are able to feel what they feel, acknowledge that it’s temporary, and choose to have a positive outlook.
Find Your Purpose
People who are resilient find meaning in their lives. They have a sense of purpose of what they are supposed to do and what makes life worth living. This allows them to see setbacks in a broader context of their lives to give them greater perspective on them. This makes it a lot easier for them to cope with disappointments because they understand that there is a bigger picture.
Take Action
Problems don’t go away because you ignore them. In fact, they tend to get worse. People are more resilient when they take a proactive approach to life’s challenges. Even if there isn’t an obvious or easy solution, simply taking steps forward can make you feel more in control.
Recognize Your Strengths
Everyone brings something different to the table. Some people have a great sense of humor, others have street smarts, and there are those who have incredible work ethic. Resilient people know what their strengths are and recognize how to use them in difficult situations. They also realize that they have been in tough times before and will get through them again with their strengths at hand.
If you’re looking for cognitive behavioral therapy in Palatine, we’d love to help! Contact us today to get started with New Transitions Counseling Center.
