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Resilient Living For The 21ST Century

by Sunny Tice, MSW LCSW

LET PATIENCE BE YOUR VIRTUE

Difficult situations don’t always resolve themselves as quickly as we would like. They may require us to flex our “patience muscle” a few times toward ourselves and others.

LET HUMOR BE YOUR FRIEND

In challenging times often it is humor that can help pull us through. Do we have a natural wit that can help us to find something humorous in the situation? Or, can we use comedy flicks, sitcoms or comedic humor to help lighten the “load” we are bearing?

Remember the key to fostering resiliency is to find a personal strategy that works best for us.

PULLING FROM PAST EXPERIENCES

Revisiting past experiences and times when we found sources of strength both internally and externally can help strategize what could work for us now.

• Recall what experiences or events caused great stress.

• How were we affected by them?

• Whom or what did we reach out to for support and guidance?

• What did we learn about ourselves from those experiences?

• How were we able to manage, process and resolve the situation? 

• What can we use in this challenge now?

• Was it helpful to assist someone else going through a similar experience?

•What has helped us feel more hopeful for the future?

• Assess what didn’t work. Avoid repeating the same mistakes and pitfalls.

RESILIENCY REQUIRES FLEXIBILITY

Resiliency requires a flexible balance as we handle stressful conditions and difficult changes.

Allow ourselves to have our feelings at times that are right for us, while also being able to switch cognitively in order to continue functioning with what needs to be done.

Take the action needed to handle the problem and meet the demands of daily living while balancing that with rest and time to reenergize. Allow others to encourage and support us while also nurturing ourselves.