Definition
: The ability to bounce back after being affected by significant/ tragic life events.Basic Facts:
- Everyone has resilience, the difference is how well we put it to good use. Some have a good way of dealing with things compared with others.
- It is a human skill and not a trait, meaning it can be developed and improved.
- Different cultural experiences and aspects affect how we build resilience.
Ways to build resilience:
- Make connections – quality relationships are pivotal when it comes to building resilience. This becomes our support group during those difficult time.
- Work towards changing the interpretation of events and responses to them.
- Accept the changes and adopt to them. This can take a while, but depending on the circumstances, we may need to adjust to the new normal. Define what that will look like for you.
- Create and move towards realistic goals – this helps create a sense of accomplishment and it moves us forward after the event rather than remaining stagnant.
- Seek opportunities for self discovery through these difficult times. Seek to identify ways you can move forward and learn from these experiences.
- Nurture a positive outlook on self. Build positive self esteem and self efficacy. This could be through self talk, focusing on your strengths and not ruminating on weaknesses.
- Keep things in perspective – remind yourself not to blow things out of proportion, and choose to see the bigger picture.
- Exercise self care. Seek therapy, exercise, socialize, attend conferences, read materials that will help inform your growth, and realize new hobbies.
How does resiliency connect to anger management?
Significant life events do affect our mood, the quality of our relationships and our general outlook on life. They contribute to us feeling more irritable, neglected,disappointed, betrayed, mournful, confused, defeated, and many other feelings that would primarily manifest as anger. As we have mentioned before, anger is a secondary emotion and so a plethora of primary emotions could be in play and these significant life events are the main source or trigger for these emotions.
