Building Resiliency in the Midst of Adversity
Build strong connections
Having strong, positive relationships with your loved ones can help to remind you that you are not alone in your most difficult of times. Find those who will validate your feelings, both the good and the bad, and ultimately support you to go above and beyond the limitations that you placed on yourself.
Joining groups, like a sports team, a spiritual or faith community, or a volunteer group can also help you reclaim your sense of lost hope. A support group can keep you grounded and surrounding yourself with positive individuals can motivate you to continue your journey of growth and strength.
Find meaning in every day
Make every day a purposeful one. This will allow for you to be proactive in terms of getting ahead of future roadblocks that may come your way. Take time out of your day to evaluate yourself, and create small, attainable goals that you can obtain and build on every single day.
Build your resume and validate your own sense of worth, aid those who are less fortunate, make genuine connections with people, all of these are ways in which you are building purpose in your life and are showing initiative. This frame of mind will aid you during both the highs and the lows of your life, because it will be routine for you to self-analyze and improve yourself on a daily basis.
Learn from experience
Look back at past experiences when you were going through difficult times. Remember the people or the actions that were able to push you through those circumstances and build new, similar strategies to overcome newer challenges. Every time you get through an ordeal in life, you are stepping away from it both stronger and wiser than you were before.
Journaling these types of experiences can help you with remembering these circumstances as well. Learn from the past, so that you can be prepared for what the future has in store. You are so much stronger than you were back then, take pride in that growth and let it be the fuel that motivates you to become even better.
Care for yourself
Self-care is a huge part of building resilience. Proper nutrition, sleeping habits, exercising regularly, and staying hydrated goes a long way towards strengthening your physical and mental health. This allows your body and mind to handle stress, depression, and anxiety better.
Find activities that you enjoy and do them just for you. This will give you a chance to get to learn more about yourself and what makes you happy. In society, we often get so caught up in trying to please others that we neglect to satisfy our own dreams and aspirations. Always strive to live a fulfilling life, so that you are getting the best out of what life has to offer you.
Seek professional help
A licensed mental health professional, such as a therapist or a psychologist, can help you develop strategies that will build your resilience to life’s many trials and tribulations. In the same manner in which it is okay to lean on loved ones or a community, it is completely fine to reach out to a therapist or a psychologist.
You are not alone in this journey of resiliency. You will fall down in life countless times, but there are numerous positive outlets that are willing and able to help you stand back up again. Focus on aspects of your life that you can control and strengthen them to the best of your ability.