What is Resiliency?
What is Resiliency?
Resiliency is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Resilience does not mean that people do not experience stress and emotional difficulty, but rather they bounce back from difficult life events.
Who can benefit from being resilient? Well, everyone. But today we’re going to focus on a population that can be very vulnerable and is regularly going through huge life changes- teenagers.
In this post, we’re going to cover common struggles amongst teens, methods for overcoming stressors, and how to develop or increase resilience.
It’s challenging being a teen- so many changes, so many decisions. Compile this with the other common stressors they experience- low motivation, body-image issues, lack of confidence, poor academic scores, anxiety, general unhappiness… this is where a resilient mindset can help teens rise above the negativity.
It’s important for teens to master the skill of resiliency so they can better manage and learn from their mistakes and become more adaptable to the unexpected. Resilient teens are able to better regulate their emotions and have higher levels of self-efficacy. Teens are more likely to be successful within their future careers and relationships if they develop these skills sooner rather than later in life.
“The good news is that resilience isn’t something you’re born with or not—the skills of resilience can be learned. Resilience—the ability to adapt well in the face of hard times; disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, or fires; tragedy; threats; or even high stress—is what makes some people seem like they’ve “got bounce” while others don’t.” -American Psychological Association
What does it look like to be resilient?
Resilient people are self-aware, they pick themselves up after hardship, they aren’t afraid to ask for help, they look on the bright side, they don’t compare themselves to others, and they have a generally positive outlook on the future.
Sounds pretty great, right? So how do you become this person?
How to develop or increase resilience:
Practice awareness
Set goals
Learn from your mistakes
Learn to relax
Develop a support system
Build self-confidence
Adapt to adversity
Take care of yourself
Reframe your thoughts
Focus on what you can control
Resilience can help protect you from various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Social support is a critical variable that contributes to resilience. Mentally strong people tend to have the support of family and friends who help bolster them up in times of trouble.
Go out there and be your awesome self and grow your tribe while you’re at it!
Looking to dive a bit deeper? Schedule your free call to learn more about how we can help support your teen and help them to be the best version of themselves!
Andrea Testa, Founder Team Testa Wellness