How to Develop Resiliency

Life can be difficult and the longer you live, the more likely you are to face challenges and adversity. Most of us aren't specifically taught ways to deal with life's ups and downs and somehow have to figure it out on our own. Some people are better at doing this than others, and there are a number of good reasons why this is true! Perhaps they were provided with better parenting, or maybe genetically they are better equipped to manage stress. What ever the reason you may be struggling with resiliency, it is a skill you can develop and a very powerful asset to posses in life. Read on to explore some ways for you to become a more resilient person.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Healthy role models to follow of all ages.
• The willingness to try new thoughts, attitudes and ways of looking at your life.
• The ability to take an objective view of your life.
• An honest desire to enjoy your life to the best of your ability!

Creating Balance in Your Life

1. Resiliency: is a quality that is evident in a person that is able to weather life's storms. Most of us admire such a person, and perhaps wish we could be a little more like them. You can see resiliency in young children who have experienced serious health issues or trauma and still have a zest for life. You can see it in the elderly person who despite all their physical aches and pains gets up in the morning with a smile on their face. Both examples of people with resiliency on life's continuum exist, and can be readily recognized. Looking to people who possess the quality will help you develop it if you try to emulate their behavior.
2. How do you define resiliency: What is it that you need in your life in order to be more resilient? Putting a personal definition to the trait of resiliency will help you pursue it in your own life. You have to have a clear picture of what it is before you can achieve it!
3. People who possess resiliency have some of the following qualities:
   
   1) They are survivors.
   2) They carry on in spite of losses.
   3) They tend to be practical and sensible.
   4) They have interests and hobbies.
   5) They appreciate people.
   6) They don't waste time sulking.
   7) They find joy in small pleasures.
   8) They seek and give acceptance.
   9) They try to balance their sorrow with joy.
   10) They take life one day at a time.
4. Some other qualities are:
   
   1) They take charge of their life and decision making.
   2) They remember the happy moments in life.
   3) They learn to tolerate frustration and limitations.
   4) They have stable relationships with people of all ages.
   5) They don't get worked up over other people's behaviors.
   6) They don't engage in self-pity or blaming others.
   7) They are compassionate.
   8) They are loving.
   9) They know themselves and like who they are as a person.
   10) They treat themselves and others with dignity.
5. Growing from our experiences: provides us with the opportunity to develop resiliency. At some points in life, every day presents a challenge. Learning to take this in stride can help you develop resiliency. Living with respect for all that is living helps form resiliency. Developing spiritual beliefs can assist you in developing resiliency. Staying connected to a community in which you are respected and loved and you can return this with others may help you remain resilient. It is never too soon or too late to develop resiliency in your life--no matter what your struggles!

Tips & Warnings

• Connect to people who cope well in life. Surround yourself with people who are resilient.
• Work hard and play hard--enjoy life to it's fullest!
• Look at your life as something you have constructed--be responsible for the choices your make.
• If you have people in your life who are mentally unhealthy; they may become threatened as you become more resilient---set limits and boundaries with theses people and respect yourself enough to honor these limits and boundaries!
• As people age, "time" not money becomes wealth!