Fall down twice, get back thrice. We’ve heard this saying numerous times in our lives, but what does it allude to? Resilience, of course! So what is this enigma that keeps us pushing forward and surviving?
The Power of Resilience
Resilience is the quality that allows individuals to brave through tough life events and come back
stronger. At the heart of resilience lies an unshakable faith in oneself, and also a belief in something larger than us. The ability to bounce back from trauma, abuse and events alike, is when individuals power through the aftermath of such events and are able to live healthy and happy lives.
Why Is Resilience So Important?
Tough times, hurdles and obstacles are always down the road. Some may be avoidable and some inevitable. To be able to take it in stride, it’s important to foster resilience within yourself.
Researchers, therapists and counselors have noted a plethora of advantages of being resilient:
Increased immunity to disease: High resilience decreases susceptibility to illness, increases
physical health and lowers mortality (Miles J., 2015).
Better emotional management: Being resilient reduces risk-taking behaviors and lowers chances of addiction (smoking, drugs, alcohol)
Improved psychological well-being: The resilient have higher chances of combating depressive symptoms, respond better to stress/anxiety, and recover more successfully from PTSD (Khosla, 2017)
Improved quality of life: Physical, psychological and emotional health are closely related; being
resilient improved quality of life overall.
How to Foster Resilience
Self learned resilience is an investment in personal development. Taking care of your well-being and armoring yourself to life’s stressors can improve overall functioning.
Here are some ways to inculcate resilience:
1. Learning from stress/loss:
You can’t erase the past, although you can learn from it. Allow yourself to feel the different emotions and identify a support system to turn to. Heal by practicing mindfulness and get back to the grind by establishing a routine.
2. Be Adaptive
Change is inevitable. We just mentioned how having a routine helps, well, be open to the possibility of that routine changing! It’s going to do you wonders to try and be a little adaptive. This will let you take life’s challenge sin your stride without causing alarm or stress.
3. Positive Affirmations
Positive psychology stresses on the importance of these, and rightly so. Practicing positive mantras will help you internalize your strengths and work on your weaknesses. It will also build self-esteem and confidence.
4. Invest in Yourself
By performing rituals of self care and focusing on your physical health, research shows that individuals report lower absences from work due to illness, have stronger interpersonal relationships, and have exceptional learning and academic abilities (Miles J., 2015).
References:
Khosla, M. (2017). Resilience and health: Implications for interventions and policy making. Psychological
Studies, 3, 233-240. doi:10.1007/s12646-017-0415-9
Miles, J. (2015). The importance of building resilience. Counselling Directory. Retrieved from
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellor-articles/the-importance-of-building-resilience