Resilience is defined by Merriam-Webster as the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. This concept is one that is quite close to my heart because I have slowly been learning how to be resilient over the past few years. Throughout life, people experience many hardships and challenges, so it's essential to learn how to cope properly and learn from any mistakes or difficulties faced. The following three tidbits of information really helped me learn to become resilient:
1. Expecting Hardship
Approaching life with the expectation that no hardships will occur and no tough roads will be traveled only sets you up for even more hardship; rather than expect that all days will be perfect, it's important to recognize that rainy days will happen. What can you do to get through these rainy days? You have to prepare for them by learning healthy coping mechanisms. No matter how good your life is right now, it's important to understand that life has its ups and downs. I've begun to look at life as a hilly creature, with some dips as well as some peaks and a lot in between the two.
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2. Realizing It's Okay to Have Bad Days
To be resilient does not mean that you experience only good days or that you never face difficult moments in life. Even the most resilient people have days when they feel stressed, sad, scared, etc. There is no magical formula for developing a resilient mentality toward negative situations. Rather, you have to constantly reevaluate your mentality and who you are, which can be done through deep thought and introspection. You will come to realize that being resilient is not a pledge to be perfect but a way of improving your mentality over time.
3. Seeking Help From Others
The friends you have are your greatest assets. Surrounding myself with people who know who I truly am on the inside, encourage me to be who I am, and offer advice when needed has allowed me to make unbelievable progress toward a more resilient mentality. Without the friends I have, a big part of my life would be missing, one that could not be replaced by anything else. Whether you have a couple close friends or a million friends, it's important to form bonds with people who are willing to put in the effort to understand you. Never underestimate the importance of a connection with a peer or stranger--it could become something wonderful.
While there are many other pieces of advice for attaining happiness and becoming more resilient, these three have helped me (and still help me) the most along my journey.
