“Resiliency can be a difficult attribute to cultivate. Four things that will help you increase your resilience level are: Esteem, flexibility, acceptance, and support. These four things vastly improve your sense of resilience. Find people who will truly support you in your wellness journey and be a support for them in return! Show yourself unconditional positive regard, forgiveness, and care. It makes a huge difference!”
Embodiment from yoga therapy. This goes beyond supporting people on the journey of learning how to feel their emotions. It is an approach that invites them to experience them in a body-based way. One of the downfalls of focusing on emotions is that we can get trapped in a state of over analysing, explaining or hypothesising WHY we feel a certain way, or trying to decide what that means for us. When we can enter our feelings from a body-based way instead, we allow the body to process and integrate a feeling without having to spin it in to a whole story. This then means that our emotions, bodily sensations and feelings can start to become guides, informations, and accessories to our stories, rather than the drivers. When our feelings become information, it gives a greater sense of self-understanding so that we can make more aligned decisions and choices for ourselves, and therefore increase self-trust, resilience and knowing what's ACTUALLY right for us in the face of life's challenges.
As a rehabilitation specialist in a wellness and health optimization setup, one effective technique I've employed to help clients build resilience and cope with life's challenges is through the implementation of SMART goals and continuous tracking. In life, where entropy introduces the notion of unpredictability, Murphy's Law becomes a guiding principle, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and adaptability to foster a sense of control and achievement in the pursuit of optimal health. In crafting a client's health goals, we start by setting a long-term objective through interactive sessions, breaking it down into smaller tasks. This approach guides our journey from daily tasks to weekly milestones and monthly achievements, ensuring a clear and achievable path to wellness. 1) Setting SMART Goals: -Specific: Identify areas for improvement collaboratively, such as managing chronic pain or enhancing emotional well-being. -Measurable: Establish quantifiable parameters, like pain-free days or increased range of motion, to track progress. -Achievable: Set realistic, attainable goals aligned with the client's current health and overall optimization needs. -Relevant: Ensure goals are pertinent to the client's health, considering their circumstances, preferences, and long-term objectives. -Time-Bound: Define timeframes for achieving goals, instilling urgency and breaking down larger objectives into manageable tasks. 2) Tracking Progress: -Regular Assessments: Conduct assessments, including physical evaluations or blood works, to measure progress. -Adjusting Goals: Periodically reassess and adjust goals based on evolving health status, preferences, or unforeseen challenges. -Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements to reinforce positive behaviors and motivate continued efforts. -Provide Feedback: Offer constructive feedback based on assessments to encourage client engagement in their rehabilitation journey. -Encourage Self-Monitoring: Empower clients to independently monitor progress using journals, health apps, or wearable devices between sessions. By integrating SMART goals and continuous tracking into rehabilitation and wellness plans, clients in a health optimization setting can not only build resilience but also actively participate in and take ownership of their well-being journey. This approach promotes a sense of achievement, fosters motivation, and contributes to overall health and life satisfaction.
When an individual is struggling, it may help them to focus on the idea of "post traumatic stress GROWTH". This idea isn't meant to diminish the realities of PTSD, but gives people another possible outcome of their negative experiences. Life's challenges and trials, if managed correctly, can lead to growth and progress. Empowering individuals to look for the learning opportunities often helps them navigate difficult times with a higher level of success.
To help my clients build resilience and cope with life's challenges, I often suggest mindfulness meditation. This practice focuses on the present moment by acknowledging and accepting our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. By doing so, my clients learn to observe their experiences rather than blindly react or be overwhelmed by them, which helps reduce their stress and anxiety. Over time, this technique improves their ability to respond to challenges with a calmer, more grounded, and resilient mindset.
As a wellness coach, I've seen the power of yoga in helping clients build resilience and cope with life's challenges. While it might sound cliche, its impact goes beyond just physical fitness. Yoga can offer valuable support during difficult periods, providing a space for self-reflection, stress reduction, and building both physical and mental strength. It's not a magical cure-all, but a powerful tool that can be used alongside other strategies to help clients navigate life's challenges with greater ease. The beauty of yoga lies in its gradual and transformative effect. Even dedicating just 10 minutes a day to your mat can make a world of difference. Personally, I've found yoga to be an invaluable tool in my own journey with anxiety and depression.
One technique that I have used as an addiction recovery nurse is to help my clients develop self-compassion. Self-compassion is the ability to treat oneself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially when facing difficulties or failures. Self-compassion can help people cope with negative emotions, reduce self-criticism, and increase self-care. Self-compassion can help people with addiction recovery by enhancing their motivation, self-efficacy, and resilience. It can also reduce their shame, guilt, and relapse risk. By being kind and understanding towards themselves, people can heal from their past wounds, cope with their present challenges, and move towards their future goals.
As a UESCA certified running coach, one effective technique I've used to help clients build resilience is incorporating mindfulness into their training regimen. Mindfulness practices, such as focused breathing during runs, can teach runners to stay present and calm, enabling them to better cope with stress and anxiety both on and off the track. Another key strategy is setting incremental, achievable goals that align with their larger life objectives. This approach not only fosters a sense of accomplishment but also instills the resilience to tackle more significant challenges by celebrating small victories along the way. Lastly, I emphasize the importance of rest and recovery in building mental toughness. Educating clients on the value of listening to their bodies and taking necessary breaks empowers them to return to their challenges with renewed energy and perspective, which is crucial for long-term resilience and success.
Getting clients to focus on small wins helps to build motivation which is a great way to cope with life's challenges. These victories help to tip the scale when a difficult situation arises. While building resilence through having a perseverence mindset is always a good idea, finding small wins works better for those who are already experiencing difficulties in life.
I use Psych-K with clients to help tackle limited beliefs and build resilience subconsciously. Psych-K is the practice of transforming your subconscious and limiting beliefs. While journaling, meditation, and self-care are all important practices, Psych-K dives deeper into your subconscious beliefs, and the habits that come from them. It’s important to focus on the power of our subconscious mind and its impact on our mental and physical wellness. Without even realizing it, we may be caught in a system of self sabotage brought on by years of unhealthy habits, thoughts, and behaviors. I find this technique extremely helpful, especially as a fertility coach and working with women struggling with fertility.