BUILDING RESILIENCE
RESILIENCE: Oil on canvas. By Janet Roberts, Reuters data editor, New York. “Resilience comes from within, as a positive energy that lifts me out of the fog. It comes from a calm presence and takes different faces: determination, perseverance, trust, endurance, savvy. “
Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress such as family or health problems or workplace and financial stress, says the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Resilience is not a trait people either have or don’t have. It involves behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned, adds the APA.
The most crucial factor in how you deal with stress and trauma is the quality of your coping strategies, says CiC. The more resilient you are, the better you respond to stress. Both cumulative and acute stress can undermine your ability to function, while trauma can put a stop to everything, says CiC.
The 7 Habits of Highly Resilient People
The following are tips from the research team at Mindarma, an Australian organisation that is helping to build the resilience of Reuters journalists.
1. Practice mindfulness
In times of high stress, mindfulness can be a circuit breaker, it can be calming. Practicing mindfulness for as little as 10 minutes a day is a healthy habit. Learn what mindfulness is here.
2. Have a sense of purpose and stay true to your values
Often, big psychological struggles arise when you do things that contravene your values. Highly resilient people let their values guide their decisions. They’re better able to comprehend why they may be experiencing uncomfortable emotions and by referring to their values they can weigh their options and make decisions they’ll be at peace with.
3. Say no
Some of the most resilient people are rejecting the “cult of busy”. They’re putting up boundaries, challenging expectations and learning the value of saying “no”. These people decide what's truly important and try not to burn themselves out doing everything that's not.
4. Practice gratitude and cultivate optimism
People who regularly practice gratitude, start to rewire their brains. Rather than looking for small failures, problems and imperfections to obsess over, the brain starts searching for and recognising all that's good. Bouncing back from challenges is harder for anyone who believes the world is against them. By cultivating a grateful, optimistic outlook, one can become more resilient and probably enjoy life more.
5. Learn to live with all your emotions
Humans have dreamed up all sorts of ways to avoid uncomfortable emotions including overeating, alcohol and painkillers. People can become more resilient by learning to allow space for all their emotions and not just the feel-good ones. While some emotions may feel uncomfortable, by understanding and accepting them, one can become more flexible and better equipped to handle the tough times.
6. Self-compassion
Highly resilient people are not perfectionists. They don't set impossibly high standards. They don't buy in to unrealistic expectations or spend their days trying to satisfy their inner critic. Instead, they offer themselves self-compassion. This requires action. It means looking after oneself rather than running oneself into the ground.
7. Reach out for support
Many people think that to truly resilient people can do it on your own. Asking for support is a braver act. Reaching out can also have another big benefit — we will find we’re not alone. We are each an imperfect human, with regrets, strengths, weaknesses, worries, insecurities, dreams and a complex brain.