resilience

11 years ago, I tattooed “AMOR FATI” on my right rib after reading some Nietzsche. It was meant to serve as a reminder of the message behind it, but I honestly haven’t been practicing or thinking about it for a long time now. Recently, though, following some Stoicism-related pages on IG, I’ve come across some interesting posts about Amor Fati, and I thought I should share a little about the concept here.

“Amor Fati” teaches us to accept and embrace our destiny, no matter what it may be. Here are some insights that might be helpful to those struggling with mental health:

1. Embracing Resilience: When life throws challenges our way, “Amor Fati” encourages us to develop mental and emotional resilience. It’s about facing adversity with strength and acceptance.
2. Letting Go of Regrets: Dwelling on the past or regrets can weigh heavily on our minds. “Amor Fati” reminds us to let go of what we cannot change and focus on the present and future.
3. Finding Meaning: Embracing one’s fate can lead to discovering deeper meaning and purpose in life. This philosophy can be a guiding light for those grappling with existential questions.
4. Reducing Anxiety: The Stoic philosophy behind “Amor Fati” helps reduce anxiety by shifting our focus from what’s beyond our control to what we can control – our responses to life’s challenges.
5. Practical Exercises: Consider integrating “Amor Fati” into your daily life with practical exercises or affirmations. Start each day with a reminder to embrace your fate and find strength in it.
6. Join the Discussion: I invite you all to share your thoughts and experiences related to “Amor Fati.” Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other’s journeys.

Remember, embracing “Amor Fati” isn’t about denying pain or struggle; it’s about finding resilience and acceptance in the face of life’s uncertainties. We’re all in this together, supporting one another on our unique paths. 🌄💪 #mentalhealthmatters #amorfati #resilience

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Virtue 1: Wisdom and Knowledge

Wisdom and knowledge consists of cognitive strengths that entail the acquisition and use of knowledge.

Virtue 2: Courage

Courage consists of emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external or internal.

Virtue 3: Humanity

Humanity includes interpersonal strengths that involve tending and befriending others.

Virtue 4: Justice

Justice consists of civic strengths that underlie healthy community life.

Virtue 5: Temperance

Temperance involves strengths that protect against excess.

Virtue 6: Transcendence

Transcendence consists of strengths that forge connections to the universe and provide meaning.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Character strengths are the positive qualities individuals have—as reflected in their thoughts, feelings, and actions—that promote the well-being of themselves and others. Though people may value different strengths to different extents, in general, parents and educators across cultures value these qualities and try to cultivate them in children and youth.

The idea of desirable character traits has existed since ancient times, but research on them is more recent, spurred by the rise of positive psychology—a movement that endeavors to use the tools of psychology not only to identify and fix problems, but also to recognize and foster positive qualities and flourishing.

Research on character strengths in both adults and youth tends to use the Values in Action (VIA) Classification, a framework that identifies 24 character strengths, which are often organized under six core virtues. The virtues are broader characteristics that have been valued in philosophical and spiritual traditions across time and place, while the character strengths function as components of or pathways to the virtues. The six virtues and their corresponding character strengths of the VIA are:

Wisdom (creativity; curiosity; judgment; love of learning; perspective)

Courage (bravery; perseverance; honesty; zest)

Humanity (love; kindness; social-emotional intelligence)

Justice (teamwork; fairness; leadership)

Temperance (forgiveness; humility; prudence; self-regulation)

Transcendence (appreciation of beauty and excellence; gratitude; hope; humor; spirituality)

In this view, good character is not a single attribute, but is multidimensional, a “family” of positive traits that may each be evident to different extents in different people. Each student has a unique profile of strengths, with some strengths being more developed and others less so, regardless of how they compare to other students.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping #Gratitude

Gratitude involves showing appreciation for the things in life that are meaningful or valuable to you. Taking a moment to notice and acknowledge the things you’re grateful for each day can brighten your outlook, boost your mood, and help you feel more positive in the face of challenges.

While it’s easy to feel a rush of joy after winning the lottery or receiving a big promotion at work, gratitude extends to the smaller blessings in life that are often overlooked or taken for granted. Even the smallest moments, such as a brief chat with a friend, a kind gesture from a stranger, a cool breeze on a hot day, or a peaceful stroll in nature, are things that you can be thankful for.

Social benefits

Gratitude has the potential to enhance the quality of your relationships. Expressing your appreciation for a friend or family member shows them that you care and opens the door for more positive interactions in the future. For example, if you tell your friend that you appreciate them offering you a shoulder to lean on in tough times, your friend will recognize their importance and continue to be there for you. You may also feel compelled to reciprocate their acts of kindness.

Gratitude can have social benefits that extend beyond your relationships with loved ones. Research shows that being on the receiving end of gratitude can lead even acquaintances to be more helpful and generous. Try telling coworkers or neighbors how much you appreciate them. You could create a chain reaction of prosocial behavior that enhances your workplace or community.

Physical health benefits

Gratitude can also come with plenty of physical benefits as well. For example, as your gratefulness reduces your stress and brings you closer to loved ones, you may see a decrease in your blood pressure and levels of inflammation. This can give way to better overall cardiovascular health.

Research also shows that grateful people are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, such as exercising regularly and following a healthy diet. This may be because they’re able reframe healthy lifestyle choices as opportunities rather than obstacles.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

To become a more resilient leader and grow in each of the 4 core areas, focus on the following 8 resilient leadership practices:

1. Increase Physical Activity.

In addition to lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, we know that regular exercise improves your ability to process stress and simultaneously makes your leadership more resilient and effective.

2. Get Enough Sleep.

Detaching from work and making time for the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each night is scientifically proven to strengthen resilient leadership.

3. Boost Mindfulness.

Whether you’re celebrating success or enduring hardship, make time for mindfulness. Mindfulness fosters learning, new perspectives, and a degree of self-awareness that can enhance your resilience and build resilient leadership.

4. Challenge Your Assumptions.

Learn to notice and challenge potentially faulty assumptions about what others are thinking and doing — a process known as “cognitive reappraisal.” Our perceptions are more likely to become distorted and/or irrational when we’re under stress; in many cases, they become oversimplifications of the situation that may not be accurate. When you challenge these assumptions, you can arrive at more productive (and less stressful) beliefs.

5. Savor the Sweet Things.

Deliberately enhance and prolong your positive moods, experiences, and emotions by intentionally savoring them. Consciously savoring the good things in life is important because neuroscience research suggests that our brains have a negativity bias, so leaders must be intentional about reaching for positivity in order to enhance resilient leadership.

6. Practice Gratitude.

Take time to acknowledge and appreciate small things throughout your day. The more purposeful you are about practicing gratitude, the more things will naturally trigger a feeling of thankfulness.

7. Build Social Connections.

Develop and nurture a broad network of personal and professional relationships. Of course, having strong relationship skills at work is important for achieving business outcomes and meeting professional goals, but personal relationships matter too, and can provide the types of support you need for the work-life juggle.

Both types of social connections are critical in helping you deal with hardships and in developing perspective. Remember that strong social connections matter for your building resilient leadership on your team, too.

8. Engage Your Senses, Including Touch.

When we think of engaging our senses, we often forget about our sense of touch. But engaging in some types of physical contact can be a simple and effective way to reduce anxiety and stress.

Because touching at work is not as relevant for hybrid and remote teams, and can be inappropriate and/or misunderstood in a work context, this resilience practice is best implemented in your personal life, where you can share contact with supportive people and snuggle with pets. Even brief positive touches, such as a fist bump or a high-five, can contribute to increased wellbeing.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Psychological resilience is the ability to cope mentally or emotionally with a crisis or to return to pre-crisis status quickly. Resilience exists when the person uses "mental processes and behaviors in promoting personal assets and protecting self from the potential negative effects of stressors". In simpler terms, psychological resilience exists in people who develop psychological and behavioral capabilities that allow them to remain calm during crises/chaos and to move on from the incident without long-term negative consequences.

Resilience is generally thought of as a "positive adaptation" after a stressful or adverse situation. When a person is "bombarded by daily stress, it disrupts their internal and external sense of balance, presenting challenges as well as opportunities." However, the routine stressors of daily life can have positive impacts which promote resilience. It is still unknown what the correct level of stress is for each individual. Some people can handle greater amounts of stress than others.

According to Germain and Gitterman (1996), stress is experienced in an individual's life course at times of difficult life transitions, involving developmental and social change; traumatic life events, including grief and loss; and environmental pressures, encompassing poverty and community violence. Resilience is the integrated adaptation of physical, mental and spiritual aspects in a set of "good or bad" circumstances, a coherent sense of self that is able to maintain normative developmental tasks that occur at various stages of life. The Children's Institute of the University of Rochester explains that "resilience research is focused on studying those who engage in life with hope and humor despite devastating losses".

It is important to note that resilience is not only about overcoming a deeply stressful situation, but also coming out of the said situation with "competent functioning". Resiliency allows a person to rebound from adversity as a strengthened and more resourceful person. Aaron Antonovsky in 1979 stated that when an event is appraised as comprehensible (predictable), manageable (controllable), and somehow meaningful (explainable) a resilient response is more likely.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Resilience is the ability to cope with and recover from setbacks. People who remain calm in the face of disaster have resilience. People with psychological resilience are able to use their skills and strengths to respond to life's challenges, which can include those related to:

-Death of a loved one

-Divorce

-Financial issues

-Illness

-Job loss

-Medical emergencies

-Natural disasters

Instead of falling into despair or hiding from issues by using unhealthy coping strategies, resilient people face life's difficulties head-on.

People with resilience do not experience less distress, grief, or anxiety than other people do. Instead, they use healthy coping skills to handle such difficulties in ways that foster strength and growth, often emerging stronger than they were before.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Resiliency describes our ability to cope with difficult situations — but you don’t have to be resilient in the face of adversity and trauma.

Resilience is a common psychological term that seemingly everyone uses to describe what it takes to overcome stress — but resilience isn’t necessarily a state to strive for or something to work toward.

Resiliency can be seen both positively and negatively. The degree to which a person may be resilient varies greatly depending on their unique circumstances and the challenges they face.

Resilience does not exist in a vacuum. Since we all respond to stress differently, the message that we “should be” resilient can be harmful when there’s an expectation to be resilient in the face of adversity or trauma.

You cannot address resilience without factoring in social determinants like systemic racism, socioeconomic status, and of course, mental and physical health.

Still, a growing body of evidence suggests that most people exhibit resilience after experiencing a traumatic event. Plus, there are ways to foster resilient behaviors that can help you adapt to and recover from stressful events.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Resilience refers to both the process and the outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, according to the definition from the American Psychological Association (APA). It’s having the mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and ability to adjust to both internal and external demands, per APA.

Spiritual

Spiritual well-being consists of taking time to stop doing and start being. If you are unsure what your spiritual life entails, that is okay! College is a great time to reflect on what it means to be spiritual.

Emotional

Emotional well-being includes your thoughts, emotions, and the ability to deal with life’s challenges.

Financial

Financial well-being is living within your means and learning to manage your finances for the short- and long-term.

Physical

Physical well-being includes listening to and taking care of your body.

Occupational

Occupational well-being is finding purpose and success in your career. Right now, your “career” is being a college student!

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping

#MentalHealth #resilience #coping

Mindfulness practice has a variety of benefits. Helping you build resilience is one of the key benefits to developing a day-to-day mindfulness practice.

When dealing with stress or anxiety, it can be hard to cope. Your emotions may feel unmanageable or overwhelming.

Mental health conditions may make it hard to get through times of crisis or healthily handle stress. But mindful coping strategies are available to help you relax and find a state of peace in your life.

If you seek to become more self-aware and handle stress better, mindfulness practice may be something to consider.

Mindfulness is about living in the present moment and being intentional. Resilience is defined as bouncing back from adverse life events or recovering quickly from difficulties.

Resilience also is related to the characteristics that allow you to thrive after an adverse event. Mindfulness and resilience often go hand and hand.

Research from 2021, evaluated the impact mindfulness-based practice and physical activity have on the development of resilience.

Findings indicated that mindfulness-based practice could lead to greater levels of individual resilience.

You can refer to this:

resiliens.com/resilify/program/the-science-of-resilience-and-coping