Resilience is one of the key factors in protecting against the development of emotion health issues. Being able to bounce back in the face of adversity is a positive quality to have. Some people seem to have it naturally while others have to work harder at it.
People who are highly resilient tend to be more flexible in their thinking and less likely to view the world in a rigid or black and white manner. They are much more aware of their situation and are introspective so they know how they feel regularly. Resilient South Asians also are able to use past difficulties as learning experiences to improve themselves for the future.
Research has not yet reached a conclusion on the genetic and environmental contributions of resilience; however, it seems that being able to adapt to a negative situation is partly genetic. Despite the biological cause of resilience, psychologists believe that resilience can be learned. This is especially important for young children who can be taught how to manage in the face of difficulty from a young age.
Here are 5 things you can do to increase your resilience:
1. Have close, healthy relationships. People who strong relationships with partners, family member, friends, fellow churchgoers, or community members are more likely to be resilient. While the quantity of relationships is not very important, the quality is key. Being able to rely on people around you during times of difficulty helps promote emotional health and resilience during difficult times.
2. Do activities that showcase your talents. Children, teens and adults who are involved in extra curricular activities that highlight their strengths are more likely to be resilient. Taking dance classes, joining an art group or playing a game of basketball with friends regularly remind the individual of their capacities and helps increase self-confidence, both which are essential in being resilient.
3. Avoid avoiding. People who handle difficult situations by facing them head on, as opposed to detaching themselves and hoping the problems will go away, gain invaluable skills from every adverse situation. They learn how to handle problems more effectively and are less likely to feel overwhelmed by them when they happen again.
4. High self-esteem. South Asians who have a positive view of themselves and feel confident are more likely to be resilient. They believe in themselves that they can overcome the difficulty and trust that they have the skills to remedy the situation or the skills to be able to ask for help. People with low self-esteem often fall into a cyclical pattern of self-blame, self-doubt and high anxiety which does not promote resilience.
5. Know when to ask for help. Often we mistake independence and and not needing help with resilience. On the contrary, always doing things alone hurts our ability to manage adversity well. Be able to identify your strengths and limitations and know at what point reaching out for help will actually improve your situation.
Adversity happens to children, teens and adults all throughout their life. Resilience is a key factor in being able to manage difficult situations without harming your emotional health. Although we have yet to identify how much resilience is built into our genes and how much is learned, there are numerous things everyone can do to keep their resilience skills sharp.
What else do you think helps increase resilience in South Asians? We would love your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.