The importance of resilience in today's world

What is resilience and why is it important?

A widely used definition of resilience comes from the American psychologist and resilience researcher Michael Rutter, who describes resilience as the ability to maintain a normal or even improved level of development and functioning despite adverse circumstances. Resilience also includes a certain resistance to stress and strain.

But why is resilience important, especially in today's world? Well, our lives are more hectic and stressful than ever. We have many commitments and often find it difficult to lead a balanced life. We also have to deal with rapidly changing technologies and global challenges. In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, resilience is an indispensable skill for being successful and happy.

The challenges of today and the importance of resilience

Okay, let's talk about the challenges we face in our modern lives. Here are some examples:

• Stress at work: We work a lot of overtime and have a lot of pressure to perform. It can be hard to find a healthy work-life balance.
• Social media: Social media often makes us comparing ourselves with others. Most of the time, this ends up with us getting the short end of the stick in our eyes.
• Speed of life: The world seems to be getting faster and faster, and we often worry that we won't be able to keep up.
•  …

All these challenges can keep us from enjoying life to the fullest. This is where resilience comes into play. Resilience allows us to deal with these challenges and not let them get us down. We learn to recover quickly and focus on what is really important.

In addition, resilience is also important to protect us against the negative effects of stress and excessive demands. Through resilience, we can avoid getting burned out and unhappy. Instead, we can focus on what makes us happy and on what is really important!

In today's world, where we face additional global challenges such as pandemics, a war, and environmental issues, resilience will become more important than ever. The better your resilience is, the more you are in the eye of the storm.

Are you resilient? Take the test!

Want to know how resilient you are? Here's a simple test you can do for yourself:

1. Overcoming challenges: How good are you at overcoming challenges and dealing with difficult situations? For example, have you ever managed to pass an exam even though you were very nervous? Or have you managed to “repair” a relationship that was put to the test?
2. Face change: How good are you at adapting to change and recovering quickly from setbacks? Have you ever managed to find a new city or job after losing your old one? Or … have you managed to move on and bounce back after a tough loss?
3. Self-care: How well do you take care of yourself and look after your own well-being? Do you regularly take time for yourself to relax or exercise? Or do you make sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy?
4. Build a support system: Do you have a strong network of friends, family members and colleagues you can rely on? Do you have friends you can call when you need someone to talk to? Or do you have a mentor to help you navigate career challenges?
5. Learning to cope with stress: How good are you at handling stressful everyday situations and relaxing? Have you tried relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation? Or have you managed to cope with a stressful situation by adopting the right mindset?

If you answer "yes" to most of these questions, you are probably quite resilient. The fewer yeses you have, the more worthwhile it is for you to work on your resilience.

 
Tap into your resource pool

You've probably already overcome a few challenges, and it's important to be aware of that and be proud of yourself. Every challenge you overcome is a resource that you can use when you are faced with another challenge. bist.

Take a moment now and think of all the challenges you have already overcome. Create a "resource booklet" and write them all down. Be happy about them and feel the strength. These experiences have made you stronger and shown you that you are capable of overcoming challenges. The next time you have a challenge that threatens to overwhelm you, take the booklet and remember what you have already overcome.

What are resources, anyway?

A resource is a thing or a skill that we can use to overcome challenges and build our resilience. Here are some examples of resources we all have:

1. Our network: Friends, family and colleagues can support us and help us overcome challenges.
2. Our skills: Each of us has special skills and strengths that can help overcome challenges. For example, skills such as problem solving, organization, communication, empathy and creativity.
3. Our experience: Any challenge you've already mastered.
4. Our knowledge: Your knowledge can help you make better decisions and overcome challenges.
5. Our hobbies and interests: Hobbies and interests that help you relax and regenerate.

Exercise: Now write in your resource booklet all the other resources you have, this will help you to recognize what strengths you have available to overcome challenges. In this way you will be more and more ready for everything that life has in store for us.

Resilience in the professional context

Resilience is also very important in a professional context: people with high resilience are often better problem solvers and better able to deal with change, which can be a great advantage on the job.

Here are some ways you can strengthen your resilience at work:

1. Stress Management: It is important to develop effective stress management strategies to continually reduce occupational stress.
2. Communication: Strong communication skills can help you successfully communicate with colleagues and supervisors and resolve conflicts.
3. Time management: An effective time management strategy can help you set priorities and thus reduce work pressure.
4. Networking: A strong professional network can help you discover new opportunities and assist in overcoming challenges.
5. Continuing education: Regular continuing education can help you improve skills and knowledge and equip you for future challenges.
6. Work-life balance: A healthy work-life balance can help us feel refreshed, ready for challenges and perform better.

Resilience in relationships and social relations

Resilience is also closely related to social support: People who have strong social ties and can lean on others are often more resilient in the face of stress and challenges. Here are some ways you can strengthen your resilience in relationships:

1. Communication: strong communication skills can help us resolve conflicts and build better relationships.
2. Empathy: A strong capacity for empathy can help us understand the perspectives and needs of others and build better relationships.
3. Self-reflection: Regular self-reflection can help us better understand our own thoughts and feelings and build better relationships.
4. Conflict Resolution: A strong skill in conflict resolution can help us effectively resolve relationship problems.
5. Listening: Listening can be a valuable skill for building better relationships and resolving conflicts.
6. Flexibility: A flexible attitude can help us manage changes in relationships and build better relationships.

By strengthening our resilience in relationships and social connections, we can build better relationships and get ready for whatever life has in store for us.

What weakens your resilience?

In addition to factors that strengthen your resilience, there are also traits and behaviors that can weaken our resilience. Here are some examples:

1. Pessimism: A negative attitude can prevent us from successfully overcoming challenges.
2. Avoidance: Avoiding challenges can keep us from developing our skills and leads to stagnation.
3. Excessive stress caused by excessive perfectionism.
4. Lack of social support and relationships to rely on.
5. Lack of self-care: A lack of self-care, such as unhealthy eating or lack of sleep, can affect our physical and mental health and weaken our resilience.

How do you strengthen your resilience in concrete terms?

Here are some tips:

1. Develop effective stress management strategies: Do relaxation exercises, such as progressive muscle relaxation or meditation, and find ways to reduce your stress.
2. Strengthen your social relationships: Build strong relationships with friends and family and create a network of social support.
3. Improve your physical health: Eat healthy, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.
4. Practice positive self-talk: practice positive self-talk and avoid negative self-talk.
5. Improve your skills: Practice skills that help you overcome challenges, such as problem solving and communication.
6. Practice self-reflection: Do regular self-reflection to better understand your thoughts and feelings.

Gamechanger: Mind Switch^®

A quick way to build your resilience is to use Mind Switch^®. It's the new mind hacking tool, which helps you:

1. Optimize your mindset and break negative thought patterns.
2. Relieve stress immediately and be back to your center quickly.
3. Switch off in the evening: Helps you switch off in the evening and prepare for a restful sleep.
4. Remain emotionally stable.