Coping With Stress By Building Resiliency During Tough Times
With all that is going on in the world today, especially in the United States, it is extremely stressful. It has been one crisis after another creating a sequence of issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, loneliness, disconnection and uncertainty. It feels like we can never relax. All of these concerns are threats to our sense of well-being. So, the question is how do we become more resilient when we don’t know what to expect next? Which in turn makes us wary and our brains excessively active. The following are suggestions to help build resiliency skills:
• Take care of your mind, body and spirit by eating healthy, well-balanced meals;
exercising; meditating; getting plenty of sleep; and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
• Take time to play and have fun
•Take responsible precautions during the pandemic
• Have a more proactive and less conflict-ridden approach.
• Think about all of the positive aspects in your life and think about what has not been taken away from us
during this difficult time.
• Avoid self-isolation by connecting with others via phone, mail, social media and/or social distancing (with a
mask of course).
• Set realistic expectations
• Be hopeful
• Compare and contrast how you got through tough times in the past by thinking about your inner
strengths (bravery, wisdom, sound judgments).
• Knowledge is power
• Think about the resources you used; who did you turn to during difficult times?
• Be helpful to others
Please remember, there is always an adjustment period. Be kind to yourself and others. Knowing these skills can help you to feel more comfortable overtime.
Charlene Caiano ~ email: charlene.a.caiano.ctr@mail.mil ~ Ph: 802-338-344