Resilience is what gives people the emotional strength to cope with trauma, adversity, and hardship.  It’s having the mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and ability to adjust to both internal and external demands.  Resiliency refers to both the process and the outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences.  People face all kinds of adversity in life. Resiliency

  • Illness
  • Loss of a loved one
  • Abuse
  • Bullying
  • Job loss
  • Financial instability
  • Terrorist attacks
  • Mass shootings
  • Natural disasters
  • Global pandemic
  • War

50 to 60 percent of the U.S. population is exposed to traumatic events, only 5 to 10 percent of those people develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  It’s important to note that being resilient requires a skill set that you can work on and grow over time. Building resilience takes time, strength, and help from people around you.

How to Build your Resilience

Key factors that contribute to one’s personal resilience include:

  • The ways someone views and engages with the world
  • The availability and quality of social resources
  • Specific coping strategies
  • A supportive social system
  • A positive sense of self and confidence in one’s strengths
  • Positive coping and problem-solving skills
  • Being able to communicate clearly and effectively
  • Ability to manage potentially overwhelming emotions

7 Cs model of Resilience

The 7 Cs model of resilience to help kids and teens build the skills to be happier and more resilient.

  1. Competence:  To build competence, individuals develop a set of skills to help them trust their judgments and make responsible choices.
  2. Confidence: Individuals gain confidence by demonstrating competence in real-life situations.
  3. Connection: Close ties to family, friends, and community provide a sense of security and belonging.
  4. Character: Individuals need a fundamental sense of right and wrong to make responsible choices, contribute to society, and experience self-worth.
  5. Contribution: Having a sense of purpose is a powerful motivator. Contributing to one’s community reinforces positive reciprocal relationships.
  6. Coping: When people learn to cope with stress effectively, they are better prepared to handle adversity and setbacks.
  7. Control:  When individuals learn that they can control the outcomes of their decisions, they are more likely to view themselves as capable and confident.

Ever wonder how Resilient you are?  Click HERE to find out.