Do you have enough resilience to face the world out there? Take our quiz to find out how resilient you are and find tips on how to build your mental resilience.
Resilience is an inner strength, the ability to bounce back and cope with a challenge or setback, whether a natural disaster, illness, the loss of your job or the breakup of a relationship. If you don't have enough resilience, you may feel victimised and overwhelmed, dwelling on your problems. As a result, you might turn to unhealthy habits such as substance or alcohol abuse to help you cope with life's stresses.
Take a look at the following statements and rate your responses:
1. If something bad is said about me, I can't stop thinking about it.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
2. I find it hard to stand up for myself in a debate.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
3. It's important to me that others like me.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
4. I find it hard to recover from disappointments.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
5. I can cope with whatever challenges life throws at me.
a)Strongly disagree
b)Disagree
c)Agree
d)Strongly agree
6. When I'm stressed, I find it hard to focus on what's important.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
7. Criticism dents my self-confidence.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
8. I enjoy a challenge. Hold my beer!
a)Strongly disagree
b)Disagree
c)Agree
d)Strongly agree
9. I am easily intimidated.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
10. When faced with a challenge, I often give up quickly.
a)Strongly agree
b)Agree
c)Disagree
d)Strongly disagree
11. I strive to achieve my goals, whatever obstacles I face.
a)Strongly disagree
b)Disagree
c)Agree
d)Strongly agree
Now add up your scores. Give yourself one point for every a), two for b), three for c), and four for d).
35-44: You are very resilient and self-confident. You possess the strength and inner resources to face almost any challenge life throws at you.
25-34: You have good to moderate resilience and feel in control of your life. You cope well in a crisis and rebound from setbacks.
11-24: You lack emotional resilience. But don't despair; even if you're not naturally resilient, you can learn to handle stress better and find a way around problems rather than giving up. Read on for strategies to help you cope better with setbacks and challenges.
If you are easily discouraged and find it difficult to distinguish between minor setbacks and serious challenges, Bach Flowers can help you break the cycle and rebound from difficulties. Bach flowers help to reframe negative thoughts in a positive way so you can rebalance your life.
Learn to relax with relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or deep breathing. Practice a good routine to make sure you get enough sleep. Exercise is a great way to relax - if you're bored with the gym, try something new such as dancing or cycling.
Don't let negative thoughts hold you back. Positive thinking means being aware of a negative inner voice when facing difficulties. Don't blame yourself or tell yourself that you won't be able to cope. Instead, correct negative thoughts with positive statements, tell yourself that you can do this, and you'll learn from it.
Everyone faces bad days and crises. But it's up to you whether you respond with negativity and panic or whether you stay calm and think logically to try to work through the challenge and find a solution.
Resilient individuals know that, although things may feel overwhelming at the moment, they may not be so significant in the longer term. So try not to blow events up out of proportion.
Every failure or mistake can teach you essential lessons so take time to reflect. And crises such as a relationship breakdown or job loss can trigger "post-traumatic growth". Stressful life events often lead to a period when people look at their lives and re-evaluate what's important, leading to positive change.
Resilient people are self-confident, and when they face challenges, they believe that they'll eventually succeed. Self-believe also gives them the confidence to take risks when striving to achieve their goals. Bach Flower Mix 44 can help reduce performance, anxiety, grow your self-belief and make you more resilient.
When you've built good relationships at work, you're happier and more able to cope with stress. And in your personal life, developing solid friendships gives you a natural support network you can lean on if things aren't going well for you.
Resilient people know that life can throw curveballs, and situations can change rapidly. However carefully you've planned, things may sometimes need to be altered or abandoned altogether. So try to be flexible and adapt to circumstances.
When someone recalls a tough, stressful time in their life, they often describe it as one of the best things that ever happened to them. They faced a setback but learnt from it and became more resilient, competent and determined. And when you can face life's challenges without letting them overwhelm you, you're free to enjoy your life to the full.
Sources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-resilience-2795059
https://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/health/improving-mental-wellbeing
Going back to school during a pandemic is a new experience for everyone, and it's understandable if children are feeling anxious about it. We take a look at some of the issues and how you can help your child to get ready for returning to the classroom.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world have taken unprecedented measures to stop the spread of coronavirus. The rapid changes we've seen have had an impact on almost every aspect of our lives.
Sometimes it’s hard to notice when we've become trapped in familiar routines. Take our quiz to find out if you’re stuck in a rut and what you can do about it.
Read the complete article
Millions of people furloughed for months are now being recalled to work. Others, who have been working from home throughout the lockdown, are returning to the office. And some jobs have simply disappeared: many people are facing redundancy and will soon have to cope with job hunting. Going back to work after an unprecedented length of time at home is quite a challenge.
Narcissism is a term we often see these days. But what does it mean? It's used to describe a person who is full of themselves or overly vain. However, it's not really about self-love.
Nowadays, it can sometimes seem almost everyone has a mental health issue or learning disorder. But, are we too quick to label people, or is it that we are more aware of the problems? This article looks at some of the issues surrounding these sensitive questions.
Have you ever noticed that some people are instantly likeable? Many people believe that people will only like you because of natural traits you're born with: good looks, talent and sociability. But this is a misconception. Getting people to like you is within your control, and it's all to do with self-belief, knowing yourself and being emotionally intelligent. Here's what to do to be more likeable.
As nice as it is for a person to celebrate New Year, it's not so nice for a dog, especially when the loud fireworks go off the whole night. This is really frightening for many dogs. Read our 7 tips on how you can help your dog with his fear of fireworks.
Being happy is something everybody strives for, but unfortunately there are a lot of people who go through life unhappily. A lot of people take life how it is.
Read the complete article
Do you feel you’re always criticising and judging everyone, yourself included? Do you feel bad about it afterwards? You’re certainly not alone! Read on to discover how you can judge less and start to accept things the way they are.
Are you unsure which Bach flowers can help you? Contact Tom for free advice.
