Resilience

Lately, from one disaster to another, the planet seems to be lurching. We have undergone a global pandemic, drastic shifts in the way we live our daily lives, economic instability, political and social chaos, and a number of natural disasters. Then there are personal traumas, such as the death of a loved one, deteriorating health, unemployment, divorce, violent crime, or traumatic events, that people often struggle with. This is a moment of unparalleled hardship and upheaval for a lot of us.

If a global emergency or a personal disaster is the cause of turmoil in your life or both, living through tough times will take a heavy toll on your mood, health, and outlook. It can leave you feeling powerless and overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. You may be desperately mourning everything that you have lost, flooded with a bunch of challenging, contradictory thoughts, or unsure of how to move on with your life. You can also feel like your life is completely out of control and that whatever may happen next, you are powerless to influence.

There are ways to help smooth the turbulent waters and recover a sense of control, but there is no way to escape grief, adversity, or suffering in life. Well before these uncommon times, resilience is the ability to cope with the loss, transition, and trauma that have become unavoidable parts of existence. Resilience building will help you respond better to life-changing circumstances, deal with turbulent times, and bounce back from adversity and tragedy.

Why do some individuals seem to be better able to cope than others in these troubling times? Although the situation of everyone is different, it is true that individuals with resilience seem to have a greater tolerance for the emotional distress caused by difficult times. The more resilient you are, the better you will handle the feelings of trauma and adversity that accompany tension, anxiety, and depression, and find a way to recover from setbacks.

We all go through hard times, we all experience disappointment, loss, and transition, and at different times in our lives, we all feel sad, anxious and stressed. But creating resilience will help you keep a positive attitude, face less fear in an unpredictable future, and get through even the toughest days.

Building Resilience

It's important not to think of it as some form of character defect if you're more susceptible to emotional distress and find it hard to cope with difficulty or adversity. Resilience is not a macho attribute and it is not fixed; it is an evolving process that takes commitment over time to create and sustain.

It's doubtful you've had the need or ability to build resilience unless you've encountered hardship throughout your life before. Drawing on previous experiences will help you deal with the problems that you face today. Even if you have struggled in the past to deal with adversity, you will at least be able to understand some of the ways that DON'T help cope, such as trying to dull your emotions with drugs or alcohol.

Although it is always hard to imagine something good coming from stressful events, creating strength will help you see some positive things about the challenges you have experienced. Surviving hardships will teach you valuable things about yourself and the world around you, improve your determination, deepen your empathy, and encourage you to develop as a human being and grow in time.