Resilience
We hear a lot about resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity whether it is a devastating loss or the many smaller stresses we live with each day. TIME (Bounce Back, Mandy Oaklander, June 1, 2015) cites the work of two psychiatrists, Dennis Charney, dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and Steven Southwick, a professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. “Resilient people seem to have the capacity to appropriately regulate the subcortical fear circuits under conditions of stress,” says Charney. The article cites research in the area including recent studies on the effect of mindfulness practices on building resilience.
Expert Tips for Resilience (from TIME Bounce Back)
- Develop a core set of values that nothing can shake.
- Try to find meaning in whatever stressful or traumatic thing has happened.
- Try to maintain a positive outlook.
- Take cues from someone who is especially resilient.
- Don’t run from things that scare you. Face them.
- Be quick to reach out for support when things go haywire.
- Learn new things as often as you can.
- Find an exercise regimen you’ll stick to.
- Don’t beat yourself up or dwell on the past.
- Recognize what makes you uniquely strong. And own it.
Quote of the week:
“Very few highly resilient individuals are strong in and by themselves. You need support.” ~Steven Southwick, MD
