Bright Ideas
Strategies for becoming more resilient
Ever wondered how it is that some people can face overwhelming life challenges and seemingly bounce back at least as strong, if not stronger than before? Are they just lucky? Were they simply born with a quality that the rest of us missed out on?
Whilst upbringing, life experiences, optimism, emotional self-regulation, and the capacity to view failure as a learning experience are some of the qualities that have been identified in people who are resilient, the good news is that resilience-building strategies can be learnt – and, similarly to strengthening a muscle in the body, resilience can also be strengthened over time and with practise.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Look in the mirror and tell yourself you’re doing the very best you can, every day
- Laugh, and find yourself particularly amusing; laughter relaxes the body, reduces stress, boosts the immune system, and opens us to feeling more positive in general
- Stop demanding perfection from yourself and others; accept that life is a mix of ups and downs
- Give to others; people who volunteer and give of themselves find a greater sense of personal value and meaning, which in turn helps them face their own challenges with a greater sense confidence
- Be curious and ask lots of questions, as this expands the mind and helps us see other ways of doing things
- Check out apps and the internet for skill-building resources such as theresilienceproject.com.au
- Practice and be persistent! Building good habits can take some work, so keep at it.
Dealing with the uncertainty of COVID-19 can test resilience. If you need someone to talk to about making healthy choices for living well with multiple sclerosis or other neurological conditions, call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.