Developing Mental Resilience by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

Over the weeks as we’ve discussed resilience, we’ve talked about the fact that while some people are naturally more resilient than others, resilience is a trait that can be learned and developed. It’s fairly safe to say that the most resilient adults are those who have learned to be a little tougher after each obstacle they’ve overcome. Following are some ways to develop mental resilience.

1. Stretch yourself. Resilience is developed, in part, through failure. If you never take a risk, and never put yourself in a position to fail, you can never develop the toughness you need to pick yourself up and try again. If all of your goals are easy to achieve, you will never develop resilience.

2. Know what you want. You will be your most resilient when working toward something you really want. If you are not truly committed to a goal, you will find it easy to quit. Quitting doesn’t help you develop resilience.

. When you ensure that you have learned from every mistake, it is easier to try again. This is because you head back into the challenge armed with additional knowledge and information that make it more likely that you will succeed in the future. Remember that learning “what not to do” is just as beneficial as learning what to do. Every failure gives you the opportunity to get better. Don’t forget to seize those opportunities.

Resilience doesn’t often come easy, but it is well worth the trouble. As you test your resilience and see yourself rise to occasion after occasion, you will gain confidence in taking on even greater challenges. Over time, there is truly no limit to what you can achieve when your mind is tough enough to bounce back from any obstacle put in your way.