How to Develop Resilience by Cath Crane, Senior HR Projects Advisor
If there’s one word which sums up how best to ‘survive’ the uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic, it’s ‘resilience’.
What is resilience?
Put simply, it is how well you can deal with and bounce back from difficulty. If you are resilient, you are better equipped to handle stress and more likely to maintain a positive outlook – something we could all use a little of right now.
Joe Biden’s words
We are getting to know a little bit about Joe Biden and how his life has been affected by personal tragedy. Now, at the age of 77, Joe is President-elect of the United States. To quote Joe:
‘My own father had always said the measure of a man wasn’t how many times or how hard he got knocked down, but how fast he got back up. I made a pledge to myself that I would get up and emerge from this debacle better for having gone through it.’
Developing resilience
For some, resilience is built-in, hard-wired, but that is not the case for most of us.
Having resilience does not mean that you won’t struggle or make mistakes; nor that you won’t need to ask for help. What it will mean though, is that you’ll keep on trying and not let setbacks alter your ability to see a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.
In these challenging times, now more than ever, developing and practising tools to develop our resilience will help us get through, both now and in the future.
Small steps to build resilience
You can learn to develop a resilient mindset and attitude – whether at home or at work. Try to regularly use these tips to gradually build your resilience:
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Get enough sleep and exercise
It is important to look after yourself. Try to make sure you get enough sleep and exercise regularly – if you find something you enjoy, you will be more likely to stick with it.
What can I do?
Here are some web links for help and ideas:
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/sleep
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-flex-exercise-plan/
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Start practising positive thoughts
Resilient people actively choose to think positive thoughts; crucial when things aren’t going well.
What can I do?
- Start by being aware of your ‘inner voice’ and listen to what it’s telling you.
- Now try to think of a positive thought; keep practising, it will take time
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Learn from failure and mistakes
Resilient people know they will make mistakes and that things won’t always go right.
What can I do?
A good place to start is realising you can choose how you respond.
Take a look at https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/learn-from-mistakes.htm
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Keeping things in perspective
Resilient people understand that, although things may seem overwhelming at the moment, they will lose their impact over time.
What can I do?
Try practising Mindfulness techniques:
https://mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/mindfulness/mindfulness-exercises-tips/
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Set small goals
Resilient people set goals – no matter how small – and benefit from having something to work towards and then achieve
What can I do?
Start small; if exercise is new to you aim to get out for a 15-minute walk each day. Reward yourself with a little treat and then re-set your goal.
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Build your self-confidence
Resilient people are confident that they will eventually succeed despite setbacks. When you develop confidence and a strong sense of self, you have the strength to keep moving forward, and to take the risks you need to get ahead.
What can I do?
There are many online suggestions on how to develop your self-confidence. Try
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/confidence.html
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Work on your relationships
Having strong relationships means having people to fall back on when you need support.
What can I do?
Focus on a small number of relationships which are important to you – e.g. family and close friends. During these times when we are physically separated from those we are close to, it is more important than ever to maintain contact and nurture these key relationships. If you have lost touch, perhaps start by sending a message or posting a note and then follow up with a call.
