Resilience is a skill that can be cultivated and honed over time, contrary to what many people believe. In fact, some used to believe that you were either born resilient or not. Fortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. When we talk about resilience, we’re referring to the capacity to bounce back from adversity and grow through challenges. It’s the ability to withstand setbacks and continue to thrive when faced with adversity of any kind. In this blog, we explore strategies and practices for building resilience to help you thrive in the face of challenges.
What is Resilience?
Resilience is essentially a dynamic process that constantly evolves throughout our lives. It involves emotional, mental, and physical aspects, all of which contribute to our ability to cope with stress and difficulty.
Resilient people share the ability to bounce back from challenges and setbacks, with minimal issues. They exhibit unwavering determination and a positive mindset, allowing them to maintain hope and optimism even during the toughest of times. They also possess strong problem-solving skills and adaptability, which help them find creative solutions when confronted with obstacles.
Ultimately, what resilient individuals have in common is their ability to embrace adversity as an opportunity for growth and learning. They don’t resent or merely survive challenges; they use them to move towards greater strength and success in the future.
How to Begin Building Resilience
Develop a Growth Mindset
Embracing a growth mindset means believing that your abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort and learning. When you view challenges as opportunities for growth, setbacks become stepping stones on your path to resilience. Psychologist Carol Dweck coined the term “growth mindset” and explained how it can lead to greater resilience. To cultivate a growth mindset, be open to learning, embrace challenges, and see failures as valuable lessons.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence involves recognizing, understanding, and managing your own emotions and those of others. By developing EQ, you can better cope with stress, build stronger relationships, and make sound decisions even in challenging situations.
Surround Yourself with Resilient People
To build resilience, actively nurture your social connections, and don’t hesitate to lean on your support network when needed. A strong support system can offer different perspectives and help you navigate difficult situations.
Don’t Expect Overnight Success
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can’t expect to become resilient overnight. Taking it one day at a time and setting and achieving realistic goals will boost your confidence and sense of control, two key components of resilience. It’s important to challenge yourself, but also to be mindful of setting achievable milestones. By breaking down larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks, you can maintain focus and motivation, making it easier to navigate through adversity and setbacks.
Work on Your Problem-Solving Skills
Resilience isn’t about avoiding problems but rather about tackling them head-on. Developing problem-solving skills is crucial for building resilience. When confronted with challenges, take a systematic approach by identifying the issue, brainstorming potential solutions, and implementing them. Over time, you’ll become more confident in your problem-solving abilities.
Adaptability and Flexibility
Being able to adjust to new circumstances and unexpected changes is a valuable skill. This requires an open mind, a willingness to embrace change, and the ability to pivot when necessary. By being adaptable, you’ll reduce the stress and anxiety that often accompany unexpected situations.
Positive Self-Talk
Negative self-talk erodes your confidence and leads to self-doubt during tough times. To counter this, practice positive self-talk by challenging negative thoughts and replacing them with more constructive and empowering ones. Affirmations and maintaining a growth mindset can be effective tools for promoting positive self-talk.
Learn from Failure
Failure is an inevitable part of life, and how we respond to it impacts our resilience. Instead of seeing failure as the end, view it as a valuable learning experience. Analyze what went wrong and use these insights to approach future challenges more effectively.Â
Embrace Stress
Stress is often seen as an enemy, but it can also be a powerful ally in building resilience. Eustress, or positive stress, can motivate you to perform at your best. By reframing stress as a challenge rather than a threat, you can harness its energy and use it to fuel your growth and development.
Find a Therapist
Sometimes, building resilience requires the guidance of a mental health professional. Therapy or counseling can provide you with the tools and strategies to navigate and overcome personal challenges. Don’t hesitate to get help if you’re struggling with severe stress or mental health issues. It’s a brave and proactive step toward building resilience.
Final Thoughts
Building resilience is a task that will set you up for success in the future. Inevitably, life will continue to throw challenges at us. Having the inner strength to face them and move on is a valuable skill that can be fostered over time. Resilience can change your life, from your mental health to your physical health.
We Can Help!
MHThrive provides Individual Therapy, Couples and Marriage Counseling, and Family Therapy at our locations in Katy, The Woodlands, and the Clear Lake area of Houston, Texas. We also provide telehealth therapy for anyone who resides within the State of Texas. To schedule an appointment with one of the MHThrive therapists, contact us at 713-477-0333 or visit www.mhthrive.com to learn more.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any mental health or substance abuse issues, New Dimensions can help. Our team of experienced therapists and psychiatrists can help you overcome these challenges and help you develop the skills you need to thrive. To schedule a complementary assessment or to find out more about our programs, contact us at 1-800-685-9796.
Online Treatment Programs provides Teletherapy Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs allowing participants to receive intensive therapy with our licensed therapists and psychiatrists without having to leave home.  If you or someone you know is struggling to overcome depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, panic attacks, PTSD, alcoholism, drug abuse, or other mental health or addiction issues, we can help.  To schedule a complementary assessment or to find out more about our teletherapy programs, contact us at 1-800-685-9796.
References
- Joyce S, Shand F, Tighe J, Laurent SJ, Bryant RA, Harvey SB. Road to resilience: a systematic review and meta-analysis of resilience training programmes and interventions. BMJ Open. 2018 Jun 14;8(6):e017858. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017858. PMID: 29903782; PMCID: PMC6009510.
- https://hbr.org/2011/04/building-resilience
- https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience