The importance of Resilience

Resilience is our ability to adapt and bounce back when things don’t go as planned. Resilient people don’t wallow or dwell on failures. They acknowledge the situation, learn from their mistakes, and then move forward.

1.     Resilient people view difficulty as a challenge, not as a paralyzing event. They look at their failures and mistakes as lessons to be learned from, and as opportunities for growth. They don't view them as a negative reflection on their abilities or self-worth.

2.     Resilient people are committed to their lives and their goals, and they have a compelling reason to get out of bed in the morning. Commitment isn't just restricted to their work – they commit to their relationships, their friendships, the causes they care about, and their religious or spiritual beliefs.

3.     Resilient people spend their time and energy focusing on situations and events that they have control over. Because they put their efforts where they can have the most impact, they feel empowered and confident. Those who spend time worrying about uncontrollable events can often feel lost, helpless, and powerless to take action.

4.     People who are optimistic (and therefore have more resilience) see the effects of bad events as temporary rather than permanent.

5.     Resilient people don't let setbacks or bad events affect other unrelated areas of their lives. For instance, they would say "I'm not very good at this" rather than "I'm no good at anything."

6.     Resilient people have a positive image of the future. That is, they maintain a positive outlook and envision brighter days ahead.

7.     Resilient people have solid goals, and a desire to achieve those goals.

8.     People who have resilience don’t blame themselves when bad events occur.

9.     Resilient people are empathetic and compassionate, however, they don’t waste time worrying what others think of them. They maintain healthy relationships but don’t bow to peer pressure.

10. Resilient people never think of themselves as victims – they focus their time and energy on changing the things that they have control over.