“Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” – John F. Kennedy
Sometimes life is punctuated by stressful events. Family members get sick. A major financial curve-ball is thrown your way. The basement floods – again.
But, while you may not always be able to prescribe what happens to you, you do have the power to control how you react. That’s why developing emotional resilience is an important life skill to cultivate.
So what exactly what does it mean to become more resilient? It’s not about being tough, turning a blind eye or acting like everything is just okay. It’s actually much more courageous, honest and powerful than that. Emotional resilience is about being strong enough to acknowledge those challenges and uncomfortable emotions. And, knowing how to react.
JFK summed up resilience very well. Life isn’t about focusing on the roadblocks you might encounter. It’s about understanding that you are empowered to solve those challenges – while learning and growing from those experiences.
Learning emotional resilience is important. And, it is especially important for those starting a life of sobriety. By learning how to draw from your inner strength, you can avoid turning to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope.
Here are strategies you can use to build a reservoir of emotional resilience:
(1) Understand that you are not alone. Life happens. To everyone.
The good and the well – not so good. So, the next time you get a speeding ticket on the way home from work, don’t beat yourself up. While it may seem frustrating in the moment, you can lessen the initial “sting” but reminding yourself that other people have gone through similar situations.
(2) Ask family and friends how they might handle the situation.
The next time you face adversity, take a proactive approach and talk to someone about it. Focus on the possible solutions, not the problem. You’ll feel more empowered and you just might learn how they have dealt with a similar situation in the past.
(3) Acknowledge. Learn. And move on.
Try reframing the situation as a learning opportunity. If you’ve had a particularly tough day, take a few moments to think about how you can personally grow from the experience.
Benefits of an Individual Therapy Approach
10 Acre Ranch drug rehab is a social treatment model that emphasizes therapeutic group activities like anger management, cognitive therapy, and 12-step programming. Living in a supportive community prevents clients from becoming alienated during recovery, and teaches them interpersonal skills that are helpful during and after rehabilitation. To learn more about our addiction rehab program and life skills training, call (877) 228-4679.
