The Key to Bouncing Back

What is resilience? This seems to be a question

that comes to mind when faced with something difficult. Being Resilient is a much more important phenomenon than people think it is. Everyone has the ability to learn and develop the skill of resilience and to become someone who can stand up in the face of adversity, trauma, and negative situations. To be resilient means to have the ability to bounce back when faced with even the most horrific of setbacks and to do so in a manner that preserves your mental and emotional health. It also allows you to self-soothe as you make it through these challenges.

The symbol of resilience has always been known as the helix shape. The helix shape is found in multiple places throughout nature and is representative of stability and strength. Because of this, the helix has been known to withstand every test of time and can weather any storm. Much like the helix, we have what It takes to withstand any test of time.

Being resilient requires being self-aware. self-awareness is seeing yourself clearly. To have a complete and accurate read of your personality, thoughts, and emotions is to be self-aware. Self-aware people know exactly who they are and what they bring to the table. They can navigate hardships and progress through difficult emotions with ease. Being self-aware allows us to focus on ourselves and only choose to participate in what aligns with our own values and needs. Being wiliest requires this level of self-awareness. When you are in tune with yourself, your thoughts, and your emotions, you can meet any challenge that arises, adjust accordingly, and make the necessary moves and decisions to bounce back better than you were before.

Being resilient requires a certain level of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a state of being totally open and active in the present. No matter what hardship comes your way, being able to sit in the present and face it is of extreme importance. Being open to what is happening now, in the present, instead of worrying about what could have been done differently, is vital when developing resilience. Living in the moment allows us to sit back and observe our thoughts and our feelings without being caught up in all the background noise.

Being resilient requires having positive relationships and support systems. Some even believe that the major key to building resilience is having solid, positive relationships. The quality of your relationships and the social network you have built around you is a major factor in how emotionally resilient you are. When considering the hardships you have faced, what is the first thing most of us do? If we are anything alike, your answer would also be to call your best friend or your sister or your parents. Positive relationships allow us to make deep connections with people who are there to support us when we need support. When things get difficult, we look for and reach out to these connections we have spent so much time cultivating. It is important to spend time building these positive relationships and support systems that become so important when we need that extra push to get back up on our feet when life knocks us down.

Being resilient requires having a purpose. Every human being has a purpose on this earth. Each person's purpose helps to shape who they are and how they respond to the challenges that present themselves over and over again. You may find your purpose in helping others, rescuing animals, your career, etc. Everyone's purpose is just as important as the other's. Having a purpose makes it easier to face hardships and bounce back from life's challenges. Instead of getting knocked down and freezing, if you have a purpose in life, you are not going to be okay with staying down for long. Get back up, take your purpose, and run with it because you are meant to do so many great things in this life.

People who see themselves as resilient, see themselves as survivors. They are confident in their ability to survive anything that comes their way. Whether it be physical hardships, mental struggles, or emotional challenges, resilience gives you that survivor mentality. When you lack resilience, you tend to become overwhelmed by even the smallest setbacks. By ensuring that you learn and develop well-rounded skills to bounce back from such issues, you're ensuring that you have what it takes to get back up and face troubles head-on. Being resilient does not illuminate or stop bad things from happening or hardships from coming along, it just gives you what you need to fight and survive. When facing adversity, remember to focus on what is in your control. Don't worry about what could have been what should have been or why it could've been done differently, focus solely on what is in your control at this moment.

Life was never meant to keep us down; because you have been given the skills to bounce back and be a survivor.