4 Strategies to Stay Strong in Tough Times

Obstacles don’t have to break you; with the right strategies, they can help you grow stronger. If you can work smoothly under pressure and in overwhelming situations, you are more likely to achieve success. This will result in less stress and a lower risk of burnout, improving your overall well-being.

What do people with resilience look like?

People who are masters of being resilient have these criteria:

• Patient
• Optimistic
• Awareness
• Adaptable
• Seek growth
• High stress tolerance
• High emotional intelligence

How to build them?

Practice acceptance

Be comfortable accepting changes, even though it feels impossible not to. The root cause of not being able to accept changes is feeling helpless for not being able to control the situations. Instead of thinking about why bad things happen to you, always ask yourself why things happen and justify them with positive outcomes. Avoid blaming situations or other people for the things that already happen. Learn to take responsibility and take charge of it.

Here are some ways to do it:

• Realism: Try to see things clearly and objectively.
• Mindfulness: Be present and aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
• Non-Resistance: Let go of what cannot be changed.

Be aware of surroundings

During difficult times, it can be a struggle to stay positive, as pressured situations can be so overwhelming that it is hard to think clearly. This is why a person needs to be present and aware of the current situation that they are facing. To be aware, especially when facing hardship, try to stop doing the task that you are doing and take several deep breaths. This helps build self-awareness and emotional regulation. This also helps you to slow down and be able to pay attention to the current emotions and self-talk playing in your head. During stress, you will be able to identify, and this is where you can change the way you think if it is negative.

Be open to new experience

You cannot stay in your own comfort zone and expect that you will get stronger with time. For someone to build resilience, they need to go out and do new things. Through this, they will not only be able to experience new things, but they will also be open to a new world that will help them to learn continuously. Also, being open and flexible is how people become successful. Rather than trying to avoid existing problems, they will bravely face difficult times head-on. They know how to stay flexible. When things don’t go their way, they can adjust and adapt easily to changes in their environment.

Engage in positive self-talk

When facing obstacles in life, telling yourself with positive talk such as encouragement and affirmation actually helps a lot more than you think. Repeating “I can handle this,” “I’m making progress,” and “It’s okay to make mistakes” can elevate and reduce stress levels. According to research, self-talk helps individuals with several benefits. It helps to modify their thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses. Not only that, it supports cognitive functions to process information, aid in problem solving, enhance memory, encourage self-awareness, and regulate emotions better. Overall, self-talk is beneficial for soothing your stress level, which helps you manage tasks better during challenging times. However, keep in mind that positivity cannot be forced, but it can be cultivated, and it does not happen overnight.

Conclusions

Building resilience doesn’t mean you have to be strong all the time. Take all the rest that you need while remaining stronger each time you engage yourself with healthy practices. To cultivate these traits, practice acceptance by embracing change, be aware of your surroundings to manage stress, remain open to new experiences to continuously learn and grow, and engage in positive self-talk to maintain a constructive mindset. Remember, resilience is a journey that requires patience and persistence, but the benefits to your well-being and success are well worth the effort.