I often write about your “resiliency toolkit” so I want to give you a handy summary of the tools
that have been mentioned here on the Bounce blog. The links on each tool will lead you to the past blogs that highlight that tool.
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Acceptance – the art of being realistic about your world and what is happening in it – good or bad.
There are many subsets to this tool such as acknowledging your emotions, even when they are “bad“, learning non-resistance, and accepting life as it is not as it should be.There are also more thoughts about acceptance here, here, and in this post about bouncing back after financial loss.
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Social support – generating and accepting help and emotional support from others.
This tool is also discussed here, here, and this recent post about how to take it when you can’t take it anymore.
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Gaining perspective – learning to look at life and adversity from a variety of different angles.
There’s more about perspective here as well as this little story about choosing to expand.
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Being in the moment – appreciating the here and now helps increase your gratitude and decrease worries about the future.
See how being in the moment helps increase “positivity.”
- The art of holding two opposing things at the same time – this strange tool usually has to do with experiencing two opposite emotions (joy/pain) or thoughts at the same time (“I love my kid/I can’t stand my kid right now”) AND being okay with it.
This is really a subset of acceptance, but it’s such an important little tool, I wanted to set it apart for you.
Here’s a quick list of several more tools:
- Problem-solving – sometimes you have to take action to bounce back from adversity.
- See what you can learn – the best lessons for growth and satisfaction often come from the really tough times.
- Look for the gifts – the sand that irritates the oyster eventually becomes a pearl.
- Find meaning in adversity– generate hope by seeing tough times a new way.
- Be okay with making mistakes – and that’s all there is to say about that!
And finally . . .
- Don’t give up – persistence will pay off. (You can ask my car spider.)
Takeaway points: Although there are many more tools to come, it’s good to take stock of what’s in your toolkit occasionally.
What’s in your toolbox that I haven’t mentioned yet?
If you’d like to add therapy to your resiliency toolkit, I’m available for you. Please email me or call me at 650-529-9059.
Photo courtesy of sarchi.
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