Resilience building: What it is and why you need it
Resilience is the ability to quickly recover from challenges. Resilience is not a quality that only some people possess; it can be cultivated and developed in anyone. However, according to the Cigna 2020 index report, Americans’ resilience is at risk. The ability to recover and cope with adversity is inherent to every American, regardless of background or zip code. However, only 40 percent are considered highly resilient, putting 60 percent at risk. Building a resilient mindset is critical for your overall well-being.
What is resilience, and why do you need it?
Americans were not coping well before the pandemic, and things have only gotten worse since then. Approximately one in five adults report having at least one mental illness, and many are also suffering from addictions. We need resilience in times like these. Resilience is our ability to find and use the individual, social and institutional resources we need to cope. It's the capacity to overcome difficulties and rebuild your life. When people focus on resilience, they shift their attention from what went wrong to what they can do to cope with unusual stress.
Resilience is not only about bouncing back from a traumatic event; it's also about learning and growing from the experience. It's about adapting to change and continuing even when things are tough.
There are many reasons why resilience building is so important:
It helps you overcome challenges and difficult situations.
It makes you stronger and more capable of dealing with life’s difficult circumstances.
It can help protect your mental and physical health.
Additionally, studies show that resilient people are less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. They're also more likely to have better physical health overall.
How to build resilience in your life
According to researchers, people who cope better with challenges and have overcome a challenging start in life share certain pillars and processes. Among the factors most relevant to personal resilience are four pillars:
Awareness and self-reflection;
Personal skills that strengthen one’s identity;
Control over one’s life and fair treatment by others;
Physical and mental health results from physical activity, proper nutrition, and good sleep hygiene.
And three processes:
Living in diverse communities with abundant social support;
Experiencing safe spaces and leisure activities;
And daily practices that include personal routines and accessing health care when it is needed.
These resilience pillars and processes make us stronger and more resourceful, making us more capable of dealing with crises before, during, and after they happen.
Our process to help you build resilience
Every individual's resilience story begins with discovering which process or pillar is most helpful. To build resilience, we need to understand:
1. What are the risk factors that threaten your mental and physical well-being?
2. Given where you live and your cultural background, which resilience pillars and resilience processes will help you cope with the challenges you face?
3. Which outcomes are most desirable, therefore motivating to pursue?
The most effective resilience-building interventions and programs always address all three questions. An additional effective way to build resilience is to acquire as many of the pillars and processes as possible. The acronym GROW, created by Cigna, is a tool for remembering how we can build resilience.
• Ground yourself in the situation.
• Recognize what you can control.
• Organize the resources you need.
• Work with your community for support.
When facing a challenging situation or experiencing an unusual amount of stress, we encourage individuals to think of the phrase "Grow Forth".
Resilience in the face of adversity
Adversity is a part of life. It can come in many different forms and areas of our lives, and it's something that we all have to deal with at some point or another. Whether it's a loss, a disappointment, a difficult situation, or just plain old stress, adversity can be very tough to overcome.
Building resilience can help you get through tough times. It makes you see challenges from a different perspective. Every time you overcome adversity, you're building up your resilience muscle. And finally, resilience can help you create a more positive outlook on life.
Our resilience program and the importance of self-care
At Levelheaded Mind, we are developing a resilience program in partnership with DEMA Agency Consultants. We use a systematic approach, the DNA behavior solutions technology, a validated tool with 97% accuracy that allows us to perform an analysis that extends beyond personality to uncover innate behaviors that were developed from birth to three years old. When we identify these behavior traits, we use that information to capitalize on our patient's strengths and develop a treatment plan tailored to their needs. This helps people build resilience in all areas of life, including work, relationships, and finances.
Building resilience is not easy, but it's worth it. When you're resilient, you're better equipped to deal with whatever life throws your way. You're also more likely to be happier and more successful. So start working on resilience building today! Having the resilience program integrated into your mental health plan can help you achieve results that can last for a lifetime. If that is what you are looking for, feel free to schedule an initial mental health coaching session to level up your mental health and get unstuck.
