It would be great if everyone was born with a full repertoire of traits and skills for resilience. Since we are not, it is reassuring to know that with practice and training we can learn the behaviors, attitudes and skills necessary to increase our ability to spring back from challenges. There are four skill sets that are particularity helpful in developing resilience:
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The hectic pace of modern life places significant demands on your attention and creates various kinds of stress. Mindfulness is a technique that teaches how to become more attentive without becoming overwhelmed. The focus is on how your body is reacting to what is happening in the moment. Developing mindfulness skills, such as deep breathing or visualization exercises, can also help you to maintain a resilient attitude even when under stress.
Vanderbilt Mindfulness through the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt University, formerly Vanderbilt Intergative Health
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Google Teaches Employees to Search Inside Yourself
“Search Inside Yourself” - Chade-Meng Tan
Mindfulness Breathscape Exercise
Mindfulness Exercise
Mindfulness Helps Foster Resilience and Improves Focus
Dr. Tobi Fishel on Mindful Meditation in the Workplace
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Learning to get your message across is an important skill. Good communication is essential to emotional resilience because it removes barriers to understanding external and internal conflicts, and it breeds positive emotions instead of negative ones. Assertive communication is also a skill worth learning because it helps you to communicate your needs and wants more effectively.
Resource Article - Email Stress Can Create a Mess
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Resilient people engage in accurate, flexible thinking. It involves gaining a perspective that what you are facing is not insurmountable. This allows you to move forward and look for the solution. Resilient people believe that they are in control of some aspects of the situation and can facilitate a more positive outcome. They view mistakes as opportunities for learning, and embrace change as an opportunity for growth.
Problem Solving Techniques for Stress Management
Problem Solving Orientation for Resilience
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Emotional Intelligence is the ability to accurately perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Becoming aware of how you react when you face stress helps you gain better control over your reactions. In addition, being able to read how others may be feeling can help you be more attentive and responsive to their needs.
5 Key Skills for Raising Emotional Intelligence
Can You Read People's Emotions?
