These days, it seems like our mental resilience has been put to the test. With the stress of daily life, holding down a job and managing relationships, we’re all expected to have impenetrable mental strength and emotional resilience. But how do we go about building strong mental muscles to stay well and navigate our way through life’s tough periods? Read on to learn more about the power of emotional resilience.
1. What is Emotional Resilience?
Emotional resilience is an important part of your wellbeing. It describes your ability to stay positive, remain balanced and remain optimistic, despite trying adversity and challenging circumstances. In essence, emotional resilience is the capacity to tolerate stress, to be able to manage difficult emotions, to initiate constructive problem solving and to keep going even in the face of disappointment and failure.
Building resilience begins with self-awareness and making the effort to understand how you respond and react in difficult times. Asking yourself questions such as ‘How do I handle my emotions when I am under pressure’ or ‘What happens when I get overwhelmed’ are good starting points for understanding yourself better.
Here are some core actions that can help build your emotional resilience:
- Be kind to yourself: Allowing yourself to take a step back, prioritise your wellbeing and do something for yourself can be beneficial.
- Build support networks: Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. Surrounding yourself with a supportive group of family and friends can help immensely.
- Take control where you can: Small steps such as creating a routine and learning to say no when needed can help you feel empowered.
- Manage stress: Activities such as self-care, mindfulness and exercise can help reduce stress levels in the short and long term.
Above all else, don’t be discouraged if it takes some time for you to build your emotional resilience and it requires plenty of effort on your part. Remember that building resilience has numerous benefits – it can make tough situations easier to handle and can even help to create a more positive outlook on life.
2. Learning the Principles of Mental Strength
Sometimes life may seem like too much to handle. Negative thoughts and emotions may increase feelings of helplessness and overwhelm our natural mental strength. But having a better understanding of the underlying principles of mental strength can help us cope with difficult experiences and develop coping skills.
Mental strength is not about fighting off negative emotions but rather accepting them and learning to cope with them. Here are some key principles to help us tap into our mental strength:
- Mindfulness: Being mindful of your thoughts and feelings can help you gain perspective and clarity on emotionally-charged situations.
- Resilience and Adaptability: Learning to cope with difficult circumstances in life and adapting to change can help you stay in control and be more positive.
- Self-Care: Taking time for yourself and engaging in activities you enjoy can help reduce stress and increase feelings of peace and contentment.
- Self-Awareness: Developing a better understanding of your emotions and motivations can help you move beyond negative thoughts and feelings.
We all have moments of doubt, fear, and insecurity, it’s part of our human experience. Through understanding the principles of mental strength we can learn more effective coping strategies to help us manage challenging emotions. Recognizing and tending to our mental health needs is an important investment in our overall wellbeing.
Mental strength requires consistent effort and dedication. It can be helpful to seek out professional help if needed. With practice and dedication, we can improve our mental strength and better cope with daily life.
3. Nurturing Vital Support Networks
Having a reliable support network of friends and family is essential in helping you through life’s ups and downs. No one is designed to handle it all on their own, and making time to nurture your vital support networks is well worth it.
Start by regularly checking in with those who are important to you, and those who have your best interests at heart. Make calls or go on catch-ups; prioritize your time with them. Invest effort into deepening the relationship, such as listening with intent to their experiences.
Your support network can be a source of motivation when life gets tough. You can lean on them for advice and words of encouragement, and the honest perspective they can offer. Remember they’re more likely to be around when you need them if you consistently show that you appreciate them.
In addition, you could join a support group to gain the benefits of a strong support system from those who are facing similar challenges. If you don’t feel comfortable expressing your thoughts face-to-face, there are several online sources offering:
- Free confidential counselling services
- Message boards or online learning platforms
- Well-being programs
The collective advice of a whole group is sure to be incredibly valuable. It can offer comfort and hope in times of hardship, and provide insight that’s free from judgement.
4. Fostering an Attitude of Wellness
Wellness is a state of physical and mental health, achieved through positive lifestyle choices and a positive attitude towards health and wellbeing. With so much focus on physical health, mental health is often overlooked. But it’s just as important! Here are some ways to foster an attitude of wellness in everyday life:
- Regular Exercise: Physical activity is an excellent way to keep the body and mind healthy. Even a regular walk can be beneficial, as long as it is done regularly. Aim to be more active each day and start turning it into a habit.
- Diet: Eating a nutritious diet will not only keep your body in shape but will also help you to stay positive mentally. Eating whole and natural foods is important for your body’s physical and mental wellness. Avoid processed, sugary, and fatty foods.
- Routine: Creating a routine and sticking to it can help create a healthy lifestyle. Having your bedtime and waking times set can help your body get the proper amount of rest and keep you energized throughout the day. Scheduling activities and times to relax can also help balance work and leisure.
- Positive People: Surround yourself with people who are positive and supportive. This will help motivate you to maintain an attitude of wellness and give you the support that you need on the tough days.
These steps are just a few of the ways to foster an attitude of wellness. Making small changes can have an immense effect on physical and mental wellness. Remember, start small and take one step at a time!
The path to emotional resilience is not easy, but it is worth it in the end. Like farming, it requires effort and dedication for the soil (the body and mind) to bear fruit (wellness and mental strength). With each difficult day, you strengthen your emotional resilience muscles—which leads to greater strength and a more resilient you.
