How
to Build Resilience Every Day
 |
| monkeybusiness images via Getty images |
Resilience
is not just the ability to survive challenging times; it's the ability to
thrive in them. Those who learn to build their own resilience can enjoy their
work, their relationships, and the daily bustle more than someone who gets
knocked down by stress over and over again.
Anyone
can learn to do this. But it takes practice. And stress is the ultimate catch
22. The more stressed you are, the less able you are to make the changes that
would alleviate it. That's why we view building resilience as a practice--something
that you do daily, a little at a time, until the wellspring of resilience is
part of you. That steady practice is what provides the big payoff.
Here
are three ways to make resilience a practice in your life right now -- and reap
the benefits of being able to ride out any storm (or surf through it).
1.
Put resilience on the calendar. The late Steven Covey said, "don't
prioritize your schedule, schedule your priorities." When you want to make
something consistent in your life, you want to build your life around it
rather, than trying to shoehorn it in.
What
activities make you feel good? Energized? Positive? A friend of mine loves
taking her dog to the local park every Saturday and doing laps around the
track, rain or shine. It helps her clear her mind and get a little movement in.
A co-worker spends 10 minutes in the morning at a cafe journaling. Whatever
activity loosens the grip of stress should be part of your weekly routine.
2.
Practice tuning into your emotion radar. When something in your life goes badly,
what emotion do you tend to feel first? For example, if you're in a long line
at the grocery store at the end of the day, do you feel frustrated? Angry? Sad?
Or guilty, thinking you're a bad parent because you're missing dinner time with
your kid?
When
you regularly feel a negative emotion, you likely have what we call an
"emotion radar" for it. You've learned to scan for that emotion, even
if there's not really a reason to feel it! The good news is that awareness
breaks their chokehold. Ask yourself: Is this a habitual response I'm having,
and is it making the situation worse? This will help you pause and see if it's
truly warranted.
3.
Use mistakes as a chance to practice resilience. Ironically, the very moments when you feel
your resilience waning are the perfect times to practice it. The next time you
lose your cool, snap at your spouse, stay up too late, or start emotional
eating--resist spiraling into self-blame or disgust, and instead, choose to do
something that will ease your stress and feed your resilience, such as talking
a walk or calling a supportive friend.
Of
course, there will be times when stress gets the best of you The key is to
remember that practice makes perfect. Every single action your take towards
feeling more resilient and positive, however small, is a win.
Huff Post Healthy Living Blog posted by meQuilibrium - Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, meQuilibrium was founded by CEO Jan
Bruce, a successful publisher (Whole Living: body+soul, Dr. Weil’s Self
Healing, Walking) in consumer health and wellness.
