Bend and Bounce, Don't Break

Resilience is the ability to bounce back, adapt to adversity, and roll with the punches. It is a quality in high demand during these rapidly changing times. Although there may be a genetic factor involved, resilience is not something you are either born with or not. You can learn it. Here are four strategies to help you build resilience.

1. Stay Connected

Relationships with others who are supportive and positive are essential. Isolation creates brittleness and inflexibility. You’re more likely to sink into a negative state of mind when alone with loss, failure, or trauma. And your connectedness involves not only receiving, but giving encouragement, experience, strength, and hope. When you reach out to support others, you gain and build resilience and allow yourself a chance to heal from your own personal difficulties. Get involved with clubs, professional groups, and your local community. And remember to have fun. Fun does wonders for your sense of humor, your resilience, and your health.

2. Look Back, Learn, Laugh

Step back and look at your life objectively, as if you are watching a movie. Find humor, inspiration, and courage where you can. Refuse to engage in beating yourself up or “should-ing” yourself to death. Accept the things you can’t change and take stock of the things that are within your power to change. One thing that is always within your power to change is your attitude.

3. Develop a Plan of Action

If you want to build resilience, you need a daily plan of action. Action creates motivation, and motivation creates more action. Always be proactive in the face of adversity, failure, loss, illness, or injury. Advance in the face of difficulties or challenges, one day at a time. Think: I’m still alive. This experience did not kill me. I can use it to make myself stronger and more flexible. Set measurable, doable goals and be consistent with your action plan.

4. Practice Being Optimistic

Always look forward to a bright future. Visualization is a powerful tool used by athletes, performers, and people from all walks of life. At least once a day, take time to visualize yourself where you want to be, and celebrate it as though you are already there. It’s good to visualize the same thing each day, because repetition programs your unconscious mind.

Use positive self-talk. “It’s temporary,” “I’m learning,” or “I’m healing,” are positive; “Why me?” or “It’s not fair” are not. Practice mindful meditation and develop skills to counteract negative feelings.

Feeling good is a choice. You can change negative thought habits; this has been scientifically proven. Direct your inner dialogue, allowing moment-by-moment opportunities to encourage yourself. Remember, it’s your movie, your life story.  Often, the best-loved films are stories where underdogs triumph: where the lead characters, faced with adversity, discover their inner strength, embrace change, learn powerful lessons, bounce back, and ultimately win the day. Resilient people view difficulty as an opportunity to adapt, create, innovate, and advance in one or many areas of their lives. Does art imitate life, or is it the other way around? That’s up to you.

This article provided by Marti McGibbon. Marti MacGibbon, CADC II, ACRPS, is a certified mental health professional, humorist, inspirational motivational speaker, author, and member of the National Speakers Association. Her memoir, Never Give in to Fear, is available on Amazon. To find out more, visit www.nevergiveintofear.com.

Please note: We have recently updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Learn more...