Happy New Year everyone! As we ring in 2021, winter blues and COVID surges have merged to increase the stress on our physical and mental health. While hope is on the horizon with the first phase of COVID vaccines, it is still important to build our internal strength to be able to respond to these tough times.
The American Psychological Association defines resilience as
- “The process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.”
Experiencing tough times and learning how to cope and recover in a healthy way are key parts of resilience. Check out the image below for a few strategies that can help you find actions, behaviors, and thoughts to strengthen your resilience “muscle.” The more you focus on building up its components – healthy thinking, wellness, connection, and meaning – the better you can flex your muscle when you experience difficulty or stress.
Psychology Today also recommends 3 practices to help you stay resilient through the rest of winter and COVID stress.
- Practice Deep Listening: “be fully present with others and listen to them with intent.”
- Practice Gratitude: “Resilience is being present during each day of the trial, naming what is hard and painful so you waste no energy in holding on to it. Gratitude is giving yourself permission to experience light and hope before the trial ends.”
- Practice Self-Care: “a self-care toolbox filled with diverse strategies [will] tend to our whole being for various scenarios.”
If you need additional resources of information, we also have some great blog posts on mindfulness and gratitude. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page throughout the month for other winter activities.