Building Mental Resilience: Seven Secrets For Difficult Times
As difficult economic times drag on, it can get harder and harder to keep a positive attitude
. Keep in mind, though, that the same techniques and life skills can work no matter the circumstances. We humans are built to solve problems, and we are meant to be happy!
If a woman loses her job, forecloses on a home, fails a test, or breaks up with a loved one, it can be difficult and depressing. Would you know what to do? When life hands you a bunch of lemons, do you fall apart and spend months trying to recover or are you resilient? Do you weather the ups and downs to come back stronger, or do you hide under a rock until the storm blows over? During these trying times, it's especially important to be resilient and prepared for anything.
Resilient people are "mentally tough." Think of them like the Energizer Bunny, they just keep going and going no matter what. But how can you develop this kind of strength and perseverance? What is their secret?
Resilience is a characteristic many people possess. Those who are resilient are able to overcome difficult situations and remain cool, calm and collected. They are ready to seek solutions and get back on track. They do not let disappointments deter them from what they want. Instead, they stay focused and plan to be successful. We can all learn to be more resilient and mentally tough. It's all about being in the ideal psychological, physical and emotional state, in order to perform at peak levels. Performance is about how we go about our lives, how we behave, feel, think, do our jobs. Regardless of where we perform these functions and responsibilities, it is important to know how well we are doing and how we can improve or change. Ask yourself what state you are in. How are you doing with all of these things? Are you happy? Are you pleased with life as it is now?
If you want more out of your life, whether it's to do better on the job, be promoted to the next level, or dedicate more time to your family and friends, then it's time to consider tweaking things to start performing at peak levels.
Here are seven tools to help you become more mentally tough and resilient:
1) Start breathing. This activity actually prepares your body for better performance. Are you holding your breath right now? If you are stressed or anxious, you might be not only holding your breathing in, but you could be having headaches, back aches or tightening shoulders. Here's a prescription for you: Take three deep breaths and let them out slowly. Count one, two, three. This creates good circulation and steady breathing for the rest of your day.
2) Get more physical activity. Call it exercise or whatever you want. Anything that will get your heart pumping creates important changes in your body. Exercise gives every woman a sense of control, and as we all know, control is important to us as human beings! Physical activities such as running, walking, doing yoga or Pilates, going biking, hiking, swimming or playing sports are all great ways to keep your mind and body healthy.
3) Give your body the fuel it needs. Food fuels your human engine. You would not leave the house without putting gas in your car when you are ready to take a long drive, and yet you might not think twice about leaving for work without eating breakfast. Where is the sense in that? Fill up your tank with energy-boosting whole grains, fruits, yogurt and watch your performance increase.
4) Get laughing. When the going gets tough, the tough start laughing! Go out and find your sense of humor. Whether it's a comedy club, a funny movie or getting together with a particularly comedic friend, it's time to locate your funny bone and increase those feel-good endorphins. This will help not only with your emotional state, but also your physical being. Think about it. When you laugh, you breathe. Try it and do a big belly laugh and see what happens. Have you noticed after a funny movie how much better you feel?
5) Visualize your future. Practice what you want to be and see clearly what you want for your future. It may seem silly, but practicing in your mind, whether it's a skill you are trying to attain or the dream house you want to move into, can open up new possibilities. Athletes do it all the time. They will visualize the ball going into the hole, or the basketball going into the net. Think and it will be: "This success is mine."
6) Use your brain. The bottom line is that mentally tough people, resilient people, use their brains. It must be exercised. So, go out there and do brain games. Try out right-brain-left-brain exercises such as puzzles, cards and memory games; brush your hair (or your teeth) with the opposite hand; find a new way to get home after work; even skipping and jumping rope are right-left brain exercises. We use around 11 percent of our brain power, which means there is 89 percent of our brains waiting to get used. Think of all that potential!
7) Stay cool. Mentally tough people know how stay calm and avoid letting their emotions run over them. Here are some tips for that: Try doing some biofeedback; spend the afternoon daydreaming; listen to music; get a fuzzy pet. Last but not least, get rid of those negative thoughts! For example, stop saying "I can't" and replace it with "I can or I will."
Most importantly, resilient, mentally tough women choose to be happy! Happiness is a state of mind, not a place, an object, person or thing. Think of the Laws of Attraction. You attract what you think. Mentally tough people practice being happy and know it is up to them to make it happen. They also know that practicing makes them really good at it. The good news is all of this costs absolutely nothing. you do not have to go and buy a manual or a single piece of expensive equipment.
Times are tough ... but the tough get going and we can learn a lot from them. Be happy and be mentally resilient, and you will be able to handle anything that comes your way!
by: Nancy D. O'Reilly
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