RESILIENCE helps us bounce back from a difficult situation. It's the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy or threats. Resilience is also about coping with significant stress caused by problematic relationships in the family or workplace. Resilience may change over time depending on an individual's interactions and the surrounding environment.

High resilience helps us cope better in life as it means we take stress positively. Resilience can be strengthened by having positive thoughts. Having good thoughts and ignoring negative ones is one way to strengthen resilience. Every human is born with resilience but the difference is in the amount of resilience we each own.

An individual with a high level of resilience will adapt well to changes. They will view changes as challenges in life and adjust accordingly. When a person holds a high level of resilience, they tend to look for happy events in life and ignore negative thoughts.

When our negative thoughts are being ignored or valued less, we tend to look at life in positive ways and value everything around us. And when we start to value things around us, we find happiness in each and every corner.

It is said that if people can deal with stressors in life and bounce back quickly from these stressors, they are much more likely to be happy. Having a high level of resilience also increases one's self-esteem and self-confidence. This will eventually make an individual more positive. When an individual values himself and feels positive, he will find happiness in even the smallest things. This is why resilience is the key to happiness.

BOOST RESILIENCE

Take steps to up your resilience and be better prepared for life's challenges.

Here's what you can do:

1. Have Self-Awareness

When an individual understands his thoughts, he will eventually reflect back on his actions, which will reduce negative thoughts and strengthen resilience.

2. Accept Change

Accept and adapt to change and view it as an opportunity to improve.

3. Get A Strong Support System

Having a strong support system and healthy environment can strengthen resilience because we gain positive thoughts and feel motivated when we are surrounded by encouraging people.

4. Sleep and Rest

Resilience can be strengthened by getting enough sleep and being physically active. When a person has the proper amount of sleep, it rejuvenates them, reduces stress and improves the mood. Improved mood leads to increased self-confidence and resilience.

5. Stop The Blame Game

The moment we stop blaming ourselves, we will realise the importance of self-compassion. When we start to love ourselves, we tend to ignore negative criticism and value oneself more. This is how resilience is built.

*The writer is a psychologist / counsellor at KPJ Pahang Specialist Hospital.