Building Resilience
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- Duration: 20 min
- Publisher: Masterclass Digital Campus, Tourvest Travel Services.
- This micro-learning engagement includes an interactive video and quick quiz.
Build connections with those who support you. It is easy to isolate yourself during this time but isolation can have negative effects. This does not mean you have to be around people all the time and cannot find time for yourself, this means you want to find time for meaningful connections.
Connecting with an individual or a group is a reminder that you are not alone in the face of challenges. It also can help you create a new normal when connection and normal looks a lot different right now.
Self-care is often easier said than done but making it a priority can really develop your sense of resilience. Stress is not just emotional; it is also physical. You are tired because stress is like running a marathon, not just because work is in itself exhausting.
Think about your nutrition, sleep patterns, hydration, and exercise routines. Then, think about how they need to change in small and realistic steps. Too often people try to change their wellness routines in a dramatic manner and ultimately feel like they haven’t accomplished much. Small changes are accomplishable, big changes are easy to avoid even starting.
Make space for yourself, even if it is only for a short amount of time. This can be challenging but taking a few minutes to keep overwhelming feelings at bay is important. Being able to disconnect is vital to replenishing your emotional energy.
Find outlets for emotional expression and mindfulness. This could be journaling, art, yoga, dance, or spiritual practices like prayer or meditation. This can help to slow you down and shift your focus to something positive and calming. Remember there is no one-size-fits-all coping method and you should try out ones that work for you.
Acknowledge and accept your thoughts and emotions during these times. Think about your thinking and mindset when faced with challenges. Are your thoughts positive? Negative? Realistic? Do they feel not grounded in fact? How are these thoughts helping or not helping you cope?
Learn from the past. Look back at situations that you did not handle well and identify the elements that led to that outcome. Think about situations that went well and remind yourself of the thinking patterns and actions that got you there – these are your sources of strength.
Identify areas of hope and people or things that make you grateful. In times of despair, this can be hard to do, but doing this gives you a positive source to change the focus of your thinking.
Accept that there are certain circumstances that cannot change right now. Focusing on things you cannot change can lead to feelings of helplessness. It is important to acknowledge your feelings of grief and loss, and then focus on how you can creatively go forward by trying new ways to do things. Even outside of the recovery community, the serenity prayer mindset can be helpful here, “accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Take a problem and break it down into manageable pieces to find solutions. Again, small pieces.
Start identifying goals that you can work towards. Even in the uncertainty of the current times, it might help to think about simple goals for each week. Then you can think of doing something small that contributes to that goal. This gives you a sense of purpose that you are moving towards something that has meaning for you.
Celebrate your own strengths and growth. Taking the time to do this will remind you that you have these skills to apply in other challenging and stressful situations.