Human beings have enormous resilience.
-Muhammad Yunus
If there was ever a time to be resilient, the time is now. The challenges we have faced with the pandemic, civil unrest, and the political election have certainly had physical, emotional, and social effects on the mind, body, and spirit.
By definition, resilience is the ability to recover or adjust easily to misfortune or change. Or more simply put your bounce-back factor. With everything that has happened in the last year, what is your resilience level? Have you been able to bounce back all the way, part of the way, or not at all?
The first step in building your resilience is to focus on the things you can control. Here are the strategies I used to help build my resilient mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Mind
Do something. I don’t know about you, but I have had days where I didn’t want to do anything. I’m talking no cooking, no cleaning, and no talking to anyone. I just wanted to stay in the bed and avoid all adulting responsibilities. With two younger children, doing nothing wasn’t really an option for me. As much as I wanted to stay in the bed, I had to do something. So I started small. Whether it was texting a friend, going for a walk, or taking a long hot shower, I did something. And guess what? Doing something improved my mood because mood follows action. So if you want to try a quick mood booster, find something to do.
Feel what you feel. When it comes to feelings, there is no wrong answer. Being able to experience a wide range of feelings and emotions can help build your resilience. Remember, there is no judgment when it comes to your feelings. Accept what you are feeling and go from there.
Body
Move your body. Evidence shows depression and anxiety improve with exercise. One of the good things that happened over the past year, that helped me with my bounce back was getting back to a regular exercise routine. Initially, I started with going for a walk outside to get fresh air. Over time I created my own mini exercise routine to get in the habit of moving on a consistent basis. Here is a quick 10-minute exercise routine to get you moving.
- March in place for 5 minutes for a warm-up
- Complete the following series for 3-5 sets:
- 10 pushups
- 10 abdominal crunches
- 10 mountain climbers
- 10 burpees
Spirit
Be Present. I used to pride myself on being a great multi-tasker. However, in the past year, trying to do everything all the time was too much. So I got more focused. Instead of reading emails on a Zoom call, I paid better attention. While working, I used time blocks and closed the many tabs in my browser to focus on what I was doing. Instead of watching TV and browsing the net on my phone (only to have to go back and rewatch the TV program), I put my phone down and watched TV. The more I focused on one thing at a time, the more satisfied I felt. As a result, I was willing to do more tasks.
In order to recover or adapt to change, it also helps to stick to the basics. Some of the common principles will still apply.
- Avoid processed foods
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Get proper sleep
As you continue on your wellness journey, take some time to think about how you plan to be resilient and get your bounce-back!
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