Resilience: Power to Bounce Back

One of the benefits of adopting a wellness lifestyle is that it makes you stronger: physically, mentally and socially. And from these strengths comes resilience. A wellness lifestyle prepares you for meeting life’s challenges. When you are resilient you are able to adapt to life's misfortunes and setbacks. When something goes wrong, do you tend to bounce back or fall apart? When you are resilient, you tap into inner strengths and rebound more quickly from a setback or challenge, whether it's a job loss, an illness, a disaster or the death of a loved one.

If you lack resilience, you tend to dwell on problems, feel victimized, become overwhelmed and turn to unhealthy ways to cope, such as substance abuse. You may also be more likely to develop mental health problems.

Resilience won't make your problems go away. But it can give you the ability to see past them, find enjoyment in life and handle stress better. Being resilient also doesn't mean going it alone. In fact, being able to reach out to others for support is a key part of being resilient.

Resilience helps protect you against mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. It can also help offset factors that put you at risk of mental illness, such as lack of social support, being bullied or previous trauma. And being resilient can help you cope better with an existing mental illness.

Becoming more resilient takes time and practice. If you don't feel you're making progress — or you just don't know where to start — consider talking to a mental health professional. With their guidance, you can improve your resiliency and mental well-being, and be on your way to a more satisfying life.

See Improving your Resilience.