The key to long-term stress relief is Resilience.
It’s a popular term, but do you know what this word means for you?
Resilience means the ability to regain your mental or emotional status prior to a “stressful event.” You might already be thinking, “I don’t have any stress.” Well, you probably do. Think about it . . .
it can be anything from the frustration of sitting in rush hour traffic to losing a loved one and beyond. It can be having a fight with your spouse or kids to being fired from a job. We all have them.
Stressors happen to each of us every day. Now, it’s time to think about how quickly after a stressor happens do you return to your normal state? Think about it.
Do your thoughts or emotions about the situation linger? Are you left ruminating about it for hours or days? This is what I am talking about it and it is stressful, so let’s talk about reducing the time you are stuck there — it’s called resilience.
Resilience comes in 4 forms:
emotional, physical, social and spiritual.
It is important to look at how you are attending to each of these. So, let me explain:
Emotional – The capacity to cope with your stressors.
It is being mindful of your own thoughts and emotions instead of functioning on automatic pilot.
Physical – The capacity to maintain your health behaviors.
Are you taking care of the physical mind and body? It is important for you to be aware of the mind-body connection.
Social – The capacity to make connections.
Building interpersonal relationships and connections.
Spiritual – The capacity to follow your beliefs and values to live out your best life.
Here are 4 Tips to Help You Build up your Resiliency:
Recognize the compassion you hold for yourself and accepting the current situation as it is. The more you fight against the situation (like thinking, “it shouldn’t be this way"), the more power it has over you. Kristen Neff has some fabulous resources on self-compassion.
Look at the resources you possess to look beyond the present moment. Examine what you are grateful for and how much you have endured throughout your life. This helps you to understand the strength you already possess and the values you hold.
Observe how you have regulated your emotions in the past and duplicate these strategies. Pay attention to the emotion you are feeling and the threat it has presented to you. Ask yourself: How big is it? How likely is it? And How bad would it actually be?
Build your relationships and connections with others. As you develop your inner strength and connect with people your strengths develop more and more. You will find a circle of compassion for yourself and then more compassion for others. As you grow, you will give more. As you give, others can give to you.
Building resilience is one of the keys to a fulfilling life.
Let me help you in the journey of building resilience and reducing stress. Join my latest Mental Wellness Course and learn how to implement skills from the comfort of your own home. Click the button to check it out.
Want to talk out your specific situation? Contact me and we can construct an individualized plan for reducing your stress and building resilience. Contact me at Terra@lifewithlessstress.com.
I look forward to hearing about YOUR journey!