Emotional resilience - a skill for life

Emotional resilience refers to your ability to adapt to stressful situations. More resilient people are more able to resist stress and feel rock solid in negative situations. Less resilient people have a harder time with stress and life changes. Emotional resilience is partially inborn but fortunately can be developed and the payoffs for doing so are significant.

Here are some things you can take to develop emotional resilience:

Positive self talk

Self talk is basically the inner voice in your mind. Positive self talk makes you feel good about yourself and things that are going on in your life. It's like having an optimistic voice in your head that always looks on the bright side. This can help to boost your confidence, build your self-esteem and make you feel in control.

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the foundation of personal growth and success. It's the keystone of emotional intelligence. This kind of awareness makes it impossible for your emotions to rule you. Emotional awareness means being able to recognise emotions that you experience, understand the feelings associated with that emotion, and understand what you think and do as a result. Maintaining a journal can be a good way to explore your inner world and ultimately help you to develop a plan of action.

Responding not reacting

In times of stress, we often react rather than respond. Reacting is instinctual, responding is a conscious choice. When something happens, our body is going to react automatically regardless. The trick is to become aware of this initial reaction, resist doing anything, involve your higher intelligence by considering options, possible ramifications, what is in your best interest, and then choose how to respond.

Cultivate optimism

By developing a habit of optimism, people take ownership. They generate new options and invent solutions. As a result, they are happier, have stronger relationships and tend to be more successful in all aspects of their life.

Social support

Even if you're not part of a religion or community, friends and loved ones are key when life gets hard. A strong social network can help you to stay healthy and happier throughout life and provides a buffer against adverse life events.

Sense of humour

If you can step back from difficult times for long enough to maintain your sense of humour, you will become more resilient. It turns out that there is some scientific veracity behind the old adage “laughter is the best medicine.” The elation you feel when you laugh is a great way to combat the physical effects of stress. It decreases stress hormones, increases immune cells and increases infection fighting antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the bodies natural feel-good chemicals.

Good physical health

Looking after your physical health is important, it has a dramatic impact on the way you feel about yourself. This can range from exercise, good nutrition, meditation, finding time for relaxation and having go-to stress busters that don't involve hitting the bottle. It's now been shown scientifically that physical exercise can make you more resilient. The theory underlying the phenomenon is called “cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis.” In layperson's terms, exercise due to it's unique combination of being hard (“this hurts”), being a bit hard on the brain (“I want to stop”) and the physiological changes it elicits, makes people not only resilient to physical stress, but also to emotional and cognitive stress. Healthy eating is important for brain function, a strong immune system and balanced energy levels, all things that are going to make you feel good. Having a balanced diet and eating mindfully can also assist with weight management, and being in shape is bound to boost our confidence and self-esteem.

Emotionally resilient people know that self-care is non-negotiable. It's daily practice and commitment to self, strengthens their inner resolve. Hypnotherapy and life coaching can help you to develop the techniques of emotional resilience and make you better equipped to manage difficult situations or crises better. They are skills for a more productive, happier life! 

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