Why would you want to build resilience? Well, building resilience helps you overcome challenges, grow as a person, and face adversity. Unfortunately, you are not born with resilience, but anyone can practice and build it. Through various self-care practices, you can not only stay emotionally and mentally well, but also move through hard times and learn from experiences. This year, make it a point to become stronger and more resilient with these mental health practices.
Set Realistic Goals
In order to set yourself up for success, you have to set realistic goals, which is essentially the practice of breaking down challenges into smaller, more manageable tasks. Not only will you build resilience by meeting your goals more often, but you’ll also move forward more quickly. If you want to run a 5K, for example, and you do not have a regular running routine, you cannot expect to be race-ready in a week’s time. Gradually build up your skills as a runner, jogging more each day until you have built up enough endurance to run one mile. Then you can run two miles and be closer to your 5K.
- Break up those bigger goals into smaller steps.
- Commit to each step and work toward your goal with a daily practice.
- Make sure each of your steps is realistic and doable.
- Celebrate each accomplishment.
- Gather support by reaching out to people who are working toward similar goals.
Build Problem-Solving Skills
Solving problems effectively is a great way to build resilience. To become more adept at problem-solving, you have to develop the knowledge and skillset to tackle problems with strategies that work. Consider these steps:
- Begin by identifying the problem you want to solve.
- Do your best to describe the problem by either writing it down or voicing it out loud.
- Try to determine the cause of the problem before trying to solve it.
- Think of several possible solutions for the problem.
- Not the results and continue experimenting until you find a solution.
- Having the right mindset will get you that much closer to solving the problem.
Develop A Growth Mindset
When you have a growth mindset, you can see life’s challenges as new opportunities to learn. Basically, a growth mindset is the belief your abilities are not fixed; rather, you can develop new strengths and skills at any time. When you encounter something difficult, you do not retreat. You face the situation head on with the understanding that you will emerge a stronger person on the other side, and that you may learn a lesson to benefit you in the future. To help cultivate a growth mindset:
- Have realistic expectations of what you can accomplish.
- Learn to embrace imperfections.
- Embrace the journey of learning via experience.
- Learn to value and accept any and all criticism.
- Reframe your idea of what failure means and learn from mistakes.
- Give yourself the time and space to work through challenges or problems.
Don’t Forget About Self-Care
What does self-care mean, and how does it help you build resilience? Well, you cannot move through difficult situations if you are not emotionally, mentally, and physically well. Self-care is any activity or practice that nourishes you. That could be reading a book in a bubble bath, meditating, or watching a couple episodes of your favorite show while doing a facial skin care routine. Common self-care practices include:
- Eating a nutrient-rich, balanced diet.
- Practicing daily habits that help relieve stress, such as meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness.
- Prioritizing sleep.
- Writing and reflecting on thoughts, feelings, or life experiences.
- Engaging in regular physical activity that you actually enjoy.
Embrace Change And Be Flexible
The last thing you want to be is rigid when it comes to building resilience. Life is about embracing change and adapting to things when you encounter them. Your resilience is dependent on your ability to change directions when necessary. It’s also about appreciating imperfections and learning from unexpected things or experiences. Some ways you can do this are as follows:
- Try to look at the bigger picture and know that overreacting to something difficult does not help you move forward.
- Understand that change is a part of life and that even if things get shaky, the only thing you can control is your reaction.
- Try to maintain some hope, even if life throws you a few curveballs. Difficult situations can be unexpected, but the same applies for good situations.
- Become more mindful of fixed thoughts, such as, “There is no way I’m doing that.” Or, “Everything is going to be this way forever!”
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
