The path to resilience

@jairorue

Published in

business

· 4 years ago

Index

Introduction
What is resilience?
Factors in resilience
Strategies for building resilience
Building resilience is a personal journey.
Introduction

How do people handle difficult events that change their lives? The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, a serious illness, terrorist attacks, and other traumatic events - these are all examples of very challenging life experiences. Many people react to such circumstances with a torrent of strong emotions and a feeling of uncertainty.

However, people generally adapt well over time to life-changing situations and stressful conditions. What allows them to do it? It involves resistance, an ongoing process that takes time and effort, and involves people taking a series of steps.

This brochure is intended to help readers take their own path to resilience. The information it contains describes resilience and some factors that affect how people deal with difficulties. Much of the booklet focuses on developing and using a personal strategy to improve resilience.

What is resilience?

Resilience is the process of adjusting well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or major sources of stress, such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or job and financial stressors. It means "recovering" from difficult experiences.

Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resistance. An example is the response of many Americans to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and people's efforts to rebuild their lives.

Being resistant does not mean that a person does not experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common in people who have suffered great adversity or trauma in their lives. In fact, the path to resilience is likely to involve considerable emotional distress.

Resilience is not a trait that people have or don't have. It involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.

Factors in resilience

A combination of factors contributes to resilience. Many studies show that the main factor in resilience is having affective and supportive relationships inside and outside the family. Relationships that create love and trust, provide role models, and provide encouragement and reassurance help to strengthen a person's resilience. Several additional factors are associated with resilience, including:

The ability to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out.
A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities.
Communication and problem solving skills.
The ability to handle strong feelings and impulses. These are all factors that people can develop in themselves.

Strategies for building resilience

Building resilience is a personal journey.
Not all people react the same to traumatic and stressful life events. An approach to building resilience that works for one person may not work for another. People use different strategies.

Some variation may reflect cultural differences. A person's culture can have an impact on the way he or she communicates their feelings and deals with adversity, for example, whether a person connects with other significant people and how, including extended family members and community resources. With increasing cultural diversity, the public has greater access to several different approaches to building resilience.

Some or many of the ways to build resilience on the following pages may be appropriate to consider when developing your personal strategy. 10 ways to build resistance Make connections. Good relationships with close family, friends, or others are important. Accepting the help and support of those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens your resilience.

Some people find that being active in civic groups, religious organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help regain hope.

Helping others in their time of need can also benefit the helper. Avoid viewing crises as insurmountable problems.

You can't change the fact that very stressful events happen, but you can change the way you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to see how future circumstances can be a little better.

Some people find that being active in civic groups, religious organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help regain hope.

Helping others in their time of need can also benefit the helper. Avoid viewing crises as insurmountable problems.

Consider any subtle ways you can already feel a little better when dealing with difficult situations. Accept that change is part of life. Certain goals may not be achievable as a result of adverse situations.

Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can change.

Move towards your goals.

Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly, even if it seems like a small accomplishment, that allows you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unattainable, ask yourself, "What one thing do I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"

Take decisive action.

Act in adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive action, instead of completely separating yourself from problems and tensions and wishing they would just go away.

Look for opportunities for self discovery.

People often learn something about themselves and may discover that they have grown in a certain sense as a result of their fight against loss. Many people who have experienced tragedy and hardship have reported better relationships, a greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, a greater sense of self-esteem, a more developed spirituality, and a greater appreciation of life.

Cultivate a positive vision of yourself.

Developing confidence in your problem-solving ability and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

Keep things in perspective.

Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.

Maintain a hopeful perspective.

An optimistic outlook allows you to expect good things to happen in your life. Try to visualize what you want, instead of worrying about what you fear.

Beware. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings.

Participate in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind and body ready to deal with situations that require resistance.

Additional ways to build resilience can be helpful.

For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their lives. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.

The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for building resilience.

Learning from your past Focusing on past experiences and sources of personal strength can help you understand what strategies for building resilience might work for you. By exploring the answers to the following questions about yourself and your reactions to challenging life events, you can discover how you can effectively respond to difficult situations in your life.

Consider the following:

What kinds of events have been most stressful for me?
How have those events typically affected me?
Has it been helpful to think of important people in my life when I am distressed?
Who have I asked for help to overcome a traumatic or stressful experience?
What have I learned about myself and my interactions with others during difficult times?
Was it helpful for me to help someone else through a similar experience?
Have I been able to overcome obstacles and, if so, how?
What has helped me feel more optimistic about the future? Staying Flexible Recoverability involves maintaining flexibility and balance in your life as you deal with stressful circumstances and traumatic events. This happens in several ways, including:
Allow yourself to experience strong emotions, and also realize when you may need to avoid experiencing them at times to continue to function.
Move forward and take steps to face your problems and meet the demands of daily life, and also go back to rest and revitalize.
Spending time with loved ones for support and encouragement, and also nurturing yourself.
Trust others, and also trust yourself.

Place to seek help

Getting help when you need it is crucial to building your resilience. Beyond caring for family and friends, people often find it helpful to:

Self-help and support groups. Such community groups can help people struggling with difficulties like the death of a loved one. By sharing information, ideas, and emotions, group participants can help each other and find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in experiencing difficulties.
Books and other publications from people who have successfully managed adverse situations, such as cancer survival. These stories can motivate readers to find a strategy that works for them personally.
Online resources. Information on the web can be a useful source of ideas, although the quality of the information varies between sources.

For many people, using their own resources and the types of help mentioned above may be enough to build resilience. Sometimes, however, an individual may become trapped or have difficulty making progress on the road to resilience.

A licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist, can help people develop an appropriate strategy to move forward. It is important to get professional help if you feel that you cannot function or perform basic activities of daily living as a result of a traumatic life experience or other stressful experience.

Different people tend to feel comfortable with somewhat different interaction styles. A person should feel comfortable and have a good relationship to work with a mental health professional or participate in a support group.