Resilience: the Strength of Mind, Body & Soul
As a therapist and a parent, I think about resilience a lot. What it means, how it presents, why it’s important, and how it can be encouraged.
So, what is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to cope with stress and adversity. It also means being able to recover from setbacks. In the face of adversity, it is important to have a calm mind and think clearly. It is also important to maintain a sense of compassion for oneself and others. And finally, it is important to practice self-care in order to stay healthy and strong.
It is not easy for anyone to do these things all the time but with practice, we can learn how.
Why Resilience is So Important in Today's World
If you haven’t noticed (insert lol here), there’s a lot going on these days. I have yet to cross paths with someone who isn’t worried about something, and many I meet and work with are stressed about many somethings.
Unfortunately, sometimes stuff happens. Accidents or illness take down our kids or our selves. Sometimes for a day or two, sometimes for a lot longer.
What resilience isn’t—a lack of feeling, a lack of suffering or a lack of pain. To be resilient is to move forward with the stress and pain that occurs when faced with the unexpected. Resiliency is often the key factor in someone's ability to recover from adversity.
So what’s a person to do?
If you want to build resilience, here are some tips:
- Seek out opportunities to learn about different perspectives and cultures. Resilience is part of the human condition, and perspectives are evident throughout the world. Lean into your own culture as well—keys to resilience can be found in your community.
resilience is a thinking and acting response to the challenges of thriving in a world that is uncertain and changing. It is about living with the interdependence of health, community, and environment. It starts with an understanding that what we do has effects on us
- Cultivate your sense of humor. Dark humor, memes, clips of comedy sketches. All can bring a feeling of connection with humor. Practice finding the humor in situations and you may find when a big one shows up laughter may present itself along with tears.
- Take care of your physical health by making exercise a priority. Physical health is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. It's important to prioritize exercise, because it can help with mental and emotional wellness. Exercising releases endorphins that make you feel good, and it boosts your mood. Plus, it increases your energy levels so you can be more productive in your day-to-day life. This includes managing a diet lower in sugars/carbs/alcohol that can depress you both physically and mentally.
- Learn how to say "no" and be clear with your boundaries. Consider yourself and your family first.
- Develop a strength-based mindset, meaning that you view your life as an opportunity for growth and development rather than as a series of obstacles, setbacks, and struggles. This is a biggie, and if you find this challenging, a good therapist can help guide you in this practice.
-Strengthen your ties to community. Community is integral to the daily lives of many people. Whether it's a supportive family, a group of friends, or your local organizations, finding a community to belong to can be an essential part of leading a happy and healthy life. Connecting virtually can be just as effective as in person if “finding your tribe” is hard. DON’T GIVE UP ON CONNECTIONS!! Loneliness is the antithesis of resilience. You shouldn’t manage alone. Therapy can help if these connections feel impossible.
Resilience is a part of a healthy self and intentional development of these skills can be transformative. If you feel life is coming at you and you are drowning, a good therapist can walk with you along a more resilient path.
Lisa Schneider, LCSW is a psychotherapist specializing in working with those struggling with anxiety and depression, along with life stresses like infertility and new parenthood. She can be contacted at lisaschneiderlcsw@gmail.com or www.acalmplace.net
