Baby Steps to Boost Resilence
Resilience means the ability to weather challenges, recover quickly from difficulties, and the capacity to spring back into shape. In our uncertain world, we utilize this quality every day in our work, home, and life. Every day, we face tests where things take longer than expected, become more complicated, and can be frustrating. Boost your resilience through self-care by incorporating one or more of these baby steps.
Connect with others
Take a moment to actively seek opportunities to connect with others. Engage in small talk by asking about your colleagues’ weekend plans, inquiring about their family, or establishing common ground, such as discussing the importance of coffee to start the day. Start a new hobby or engage in a philanthropic project to find new energy and build friendships. Building camaraderie starts with these small conversations and establishes connections.
Plan outdoor time
Research highlights the significance of spending time outdoors. It rejuvenates our systems by providing Vitamin D, aids in disease prevention, and enhances overall well-being. Take a few minutes to step outside, whether it’s walking from the parking lot to the office or strolling around the backyard. Enjoy coffee or lemonade outside at a coffee spot. Sit outside for a few minutes every evening as the temperatures cool. Tend a container garden with fall herbs. Your time outside will benefit your sleep too.
Pause and express gratitude
Take a moment to reflect on one positive aspect of your day. Embrace that brief moment of joy and appreciate something that brought you happiness. Place a small souvenir from a vacation at your desk or add a photo to your screen to remind of you of your time away. Write a note to a friend, pick up a funny card to share, or text a quick thank you.
Escort your devices out of the bedroom
A great night’s rest without blue light or interruption makes all the difference for your productivity. Sleep well with time away from what keeps you awake.
Share kindness
A colleague shared how a few minutes of time on the phone about a concern helped another person do so much. She declined payment for the phone time and instead that person donated to the local food bank instead. The power of helping makes a big difference. Find a small way you can share kindness in a difficult situation. It might be acknowledging that others are doing a great job while in their own difficult situation with emotional support, bringing food to a family undergoing difficult circumstances, or letting someone ahead of you in line.
Choose a way to cultivate your resilience through pausing, reflecting, and taking time for self-care. Squeeze in a few minutes daily for this important skill that builds emotional resilience.
This post is like a big hug! A reminder of the power we have to help ourselves and others in a world than can rub us raw. I am a hug believer in the Vitamin D thing, and it is HARD for me starting about now because I live up north. I can go outside, but most of my body is covered (and I wear sunscreen on my face to help with the whole wrinkles thing). I could definitely be a snowbird and live in the south all winter. Alas, it’s not in the cards.
I was just hearing yesterday at church about some research that showed that our brains cannot be grateful and complaining at the same time. The more we focus on gratitude, the more we inhibit our ability to complain and be depressed. I thought this was so interesting… and encouraging!
In times of stress, it’s so important to make regular deposits into your resiliency bank. It doesn’t make the challenges less difficult, but having a surplus of resilience in your account will help you cope and bounce back more quickly.
All of your suggestions are wonderful!
I love how gratitude forces out complaining! That is great to know.
I love your comments on our resiliency bank. I think of this often when things get rough. It is time for more deposits.