Resilience isn't something you're born with. Try the STOP method when stress hits: step away, observe your emotions, then respond. Two other practices that work: forgiveness to release grudges, and stopping catastrophizing before your mind spirals into worst-case scenarios.
Chapters
We are approaching the 1-year anniversary of when the COVID-19 lockdown started, which brought a lot of additional stress to many, if not most of us. While there have been a lot of challenges we all have faced, one thing I have noticed with the people I work with is their ability to be resilient. They understand that the victim mentality does not serve them. And that challenges make us stronger. Interestingly, resilience is not something that comes naturally. It takes time, strength, practice, and dedication to build resilience, and it is never too late to start building it. A great way to start building your resiliency is to try one or more of the following techniques: First one: use the STOP method whenever you feel your blood is about to boil with someone or you feel you just wanna run and hide. Instead of saying or doing something that you will later regret, excuse yourself temporarily from the situation so that you can observe your emotional reaction and collect your thoughts. You return once you are calm, and ready to proceed. Second one, be willing to forgive others. Holding on to a grudge means you're holding on to unnecessary stress. The act of forgiveness restores harmony within yourself and significantly reduces the stress in the process. Third, stop catastrophizing. Catastrophizing refers to the act of imagining the worst-case scenarios instead of the more reasonable ones. When you focus on the negative, and especially the extreme negative, you attract negative energy. Remember, whether you are thinking positive or negative thoughts, your perception is your reality. So give one or more of these ideas a try. It only takes a few minutes to experiment with them, and enjoy your newfound resilience.
