Building Resilience

We all face unavoidable challenges in life and to deal with these setbacks we need to have coping strategies to manage our stress and anxiety. Just like how we can build up our muscles to strengthen our physical resilience and injury prevention. '

Research tells us that when we’re faced with adversity, our brain is tested. Interestingly, our neural pathways can be ‘rewired’. The process of neuroplasticity allows us to learn new skills, adapt to new ways of living and cope with the challenges we face. 

By learning coping strategies, we can maintain a sense of control and nurture healthy relationships. Here are some useful strategies you can incorporate in your life:

Talk to someone you trust rather than bottling up your emotions. You don’t have to face challenges on your own. Being able to share your concerns and feelings with others helps to take the load off your shoulders.

Do something that makes you feel good whether you exercise, listen to music or watch a movie that makes you laugh. Activities like these release the ‘feel good’ hormones – dopamine, endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin add reducing stress and improving your mental health. Overtime you will develop a more positive outlook on life.

When you practice being kind to yourself, you build an attitude of gratitude that helps to shift your focus from negative to positive. One simple way to do this is to write down three things that you are grateful for at the end of each day. By doing this you can calm your mind and reset your frame of thought, which in turn improves your sleep and encourages the development of patience and humility.

Setting a goal for yourself keeps you motivated and energised, giving you something to look forward to. Write and share your goals with others, this helps to keep you accountable and future-focused. Try setting SMART goals – which means setting a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound. Start small, review your goals regularly and most importantly don’t forget to celebrate when you achieve your goals!

We can often isolate ourselves when life gets hard. It is essential to reach out to the important people in your life, especially during those difficult times

Emotions such as anger, sadness and fear are normal especially when we are overwhelmed and stressed. A resilient person is more likely to recognise that these feelings are temporary and can be managed. If life hits you hard and you are struggling to bounce back, MSWA offers a range of Wellbeing workshops, teaching you easy-tofollow practices and strategies to enhance your overall wellbeing.

If you’re interested in our Wellbeing service, head to the MSWA Wellbeing.