NOTE: This page is about How to Improve your focus and increase your resilience during a difficult time. If you are looking for ways to increase your resilience to Coronavirus or another physical disease, here is info from The World Health Organization.
– Agencies like the World Health Organization have no other agenda than to inform you.
In contrast, news outlets compete for viewer rankings & as a result, may sensationalize. Hearing sensationalized “news” is never in your best interest. Stay informed by getting virus updates from well-informed, and un-sensationalized sources.
“First Aid” to Improve Focus & Increase Resilience
Resilience is the ability to overcome difficult or even traumatic experiences. However, resilience does not seem to be equally distributed. Some people bounce back from adversity quickly. For others, it can take more time, or they may never come back from adversity at all. But there IS a lot you can do.
Resilience Is A Learnable Skill.
Knowing you have resilience will increase your confidence. It will help you face challenges and new experiences. It’s like knowing you have a great winter coat and walking out into sub-zero temperatures. Of course, you’ll be ok!
Benefits of Resilience
Resilience studies have shown that high resilience can make you more employable, flexible, adaptable, valuable, and more reliable. It will assist you in developing new skills and may help you cultivate the strength to pursue your life to the fullest and push through fear.
Here are 12 Ways to Increase Your Resilience
1. Embrace change. Life is always in flux. Life is a series of challenges, and you get to overcome them! Challenges can invigorate us and make us more alive. Change can be a very positive thing. Even crisis has positive outcomes.
2. Break up with Negative Thinking. True, it’s easier said than done. But get this – negative thinking is a HABIT. For some people, it’s an ADDICTION. Most people find “breaking up” with anything hard to do. Your emotional and physical well-being depends on it. The first step to a healthier inner life is the decision that you have a choice, and somehow, you’re going to find a way to break up with your negative thoughts. The question then becomes, “How?” This leads to #3. A. Here’s a helpful FREE TOOL for you.
3. Focus on something positive. Think about positive things you can look forward to, create those positive things if you need to. For example, take breaks that are calming and restorative.
4. Learn to “Change Your State.” Take on a creative project, take walks, exercise regularly, meditate, or pray. Give your brain and mind a break from “rehearsing” negative thoughts. You can catch yourself when you’re doing it – it’s like a record player needle that is stuck in a groove playing and repeating, over and over again). There is a name for this, by the way; it’s called LOOPING. CHANGE YOUR STATE as soon as you realize you’ve been looping. Here’s an excellent tool – (*note: If you use this link, you’ll get one month free and if you buy, I receive a slight commission at no extra cost to you).
5. As Socrates said, “Know thyself“. There are some excellent tools for understanding yourself. Take a DISC analysis, or read a book on the Enneagram. Take an inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, and your aspirations. Self-awareness will help you be a better advocate for yourself, and you’ll be a better partner in love, friendship, and career.
6. Develop a Growth Mindset. (Growth vs Fixed) According to Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck, less resilient study participants (resilience is seen as one aspect of “human performance”), believe that their basic abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed traits. However, in a growth mindset study participants believe their abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, learning, and persistence. View your challenges as “over-comeable.” In other words, you’re not “stuck with” what you’ve been given.
7. Cultivate a Solutions Mindset. (Temporary vs Permanent) This is another aspect of seeing challenges as “overcome-able.” Alter your perspective. Relate to situations as changeable or temporary, even if they’ve been systemic or entrenched for a long time. Mentally speaking, do not give them “permanence” status. Look for ways to solve problems or improve situations.
8. Let your goals be S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based (use deadlines). “Attainable” is the one where many people set themselves up to fail. If your “todo list” every day is impossible, you will be frustrated every day. Over time, this harms your health. If you have a habit of setting unattainable goals regularly, adjust to more realistic goals -AND- CELEBRATE all the things you’re finishing! You’ll see productivity go UP, and your mood will improve too.
9. Take action. Action-taking will improve your state. Forward progress will increase your resilience, and consistent execution will turn goals into accomplishments. Your confidence and momentum will increase with each goal you reach. (think snowball effect). If you notice you are not taking action, you need to find the reason. Increase your self-awareness.
10. Sense of Humor. The medical benefits of laughing and using your sense of humor are well established. Watch videos that make you laugh or smile. Learn some jokes!
11. Sense of Belonging. Community is essential for emotional well being. If you are physically alone, reach out to friends or loved ones via the internet or telephone. Maintaining a strong sense of belonging and connection will even strengthen your immune system.
12. Preserve or Cultivate Your Self-Care Habits. Our self-care practices tend to suffer during times of overwork, stress or anxiety. Or, we default to our more destructive habits. If you hope to care for others, it’s imperative to take care of your mind, body, and emotional needs. Form a practice of doing whatever you find nurturing and do it regularly.