Emotional Resilience

Over two years ago I decided to change my path and embark on a new journey; I did not know exactly what this would look like, but I knew that I wanted to help people and decided to pursue an education in psychiatric nursing. Of course this is the simplistic version of how this decision came about, but I am writing not to talk about myself, but to provide some insight into ways we can all be healthier both physically and mentally.

What has been proven to me time and time again is that the mind and body truly are connected. When feeling stressed, how does ruminating about our stresses affect us? Different people have different reactions, but I would say some common ones might be a faster heart rate, short quick breaths, sweating, and even the loss of one’s ability to think clearly. This is only one example and you may not be able to relate to it, but I will venture a guess that everyone has gone through experiences that have a strong effect on both the body and the mind, which brings me to the topic of emotional resilience.

One’s emotional resilience is essentially how we react to the stresses that come up in our lives. If the circumstances allow, much of our emotional resilience should seemingly be learned as children. The American Psychological Association even provides tips for parents on how to help build resilience in their children including teaching them to make connections with others, teaching them self-care, helping them view themselves in a positive light, and that change is and always will be, a part of life. If you have children and want to look into this topic further the article is available at 10 Tips for building resilience in children and teens 10 Tips for building resilience in children and teens. And for those who want to work on their own personal resilience, below are some ideas on how to do so.

These may not provide brand new earth shattering ideas, but it can be helpful to go back to basics and sometimes be reminded of the simple things that can help us get through the more difficult times.

1. Take the time to do things that make you happy (HealthyDay News). Simple enough, right? This can be any small thing that brightens our day, yet it is we ourselves that are usually left for last. Reading, listening to music, watching reality TV, cuddling with someone you care about, watching a movie, going for a walk, stretching, cooking, catching up with a friend on the phone, just going for a drive…this list can go on and on. The point here is, it is about what makes you happy and we all need happiness to help our resilience against the difficulties in life.
2.  Get some form of regular exercise, sleep, eat a balanced diet, and try to avoid drugs and alcohol (HealthyDay News). As someone who has had difficulty sleeping most of my life I realize that this may be a daunting and easier said than done list, but this is about moving towards a healthier way of being; the expectation is not that everything change overnight. Take one of these healthy habits that you may have more difficulty with and plan one step to make it better. Take a walk around your neighbourhood after dinner, avoid electronics right before bed, or decide not to have that glass of wine after work.
3.  Realize that we all need support and while independence is a strong trait, having and being able to allow people to help us is also very strong (PBS). There are two parts to this. The first is to realize that we all have our own individual strengths that can help us through difficult times – what is one of your personal strengths? No, I want you to actually think of a personal strength. Now, think of one person you know you can open up and talk to about possible struggles you are having or have had in the past. If you have answers to both of these questions, that is a part of emotional resilience in itself. If not, that’s ok too because this is about working towards something, and building social connections that allow you to open up can be a very large step towards a healthier life. How about starting by discovering one of your strengths? You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with if you put the negative self-talk aside and truly think about it.

What needs to be kept in mind through all of this is that we are not destined to either have or not have resilience (PBS). Resilience is something that can be learned, changed, and relearned throughout our lives. At times of great struggle we may believe we have lost this ability, and while I cannot say how easy or difficult it is for each person to build on their emotional resilience, I can say that I have seen the possibilities and the changes in people beginning with small, simple adjustments.

Thank you for reading, and please take a minute to complete my short 3 question survey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XCB28XW

Jennifer Lynn

Sources:
American Psychological Association - http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resilience.aspx

HealthyDay News - https://www.mentalhelp.net/news/health-tip-handle-emotions-in-a-healthy-way-169228/

PBS - http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/topic/resilience/what-resilience