Resilient Attitude

The first key driver is the capacity for optimism. It is the expectation that good things will happen in the future. This is the outlook that a person chooses in order to keep adversity in perspective. If you believe that your troubles are temporary, then there is always a solution. This enables you to move forward and not feel stuck in place.

Martin Seligman, PhD in his book Learned Optimism notes "Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better." Optimism reduces the sense of helplessness and hopelessness that reduces motivation and problem solving. In addition, optimism has been found to bolsters the immune system of the body.

Wellcast - Resilience Part 1: What Is Resilience? 
The Neuroscience of Optimism 
Optimism Apps 
 Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman

Cultivating and nurturing relationships with others is the second key driver of a resilient attitude. Although stressful events can make a person feel isolated, we are not alone. Reaching out to family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, clergy, and others in our lives can help to buffer the effects of life stressors on our functioning. Research has shown that the quality of our relationships with other people influences how emotionally resilient we can be in the face of a crisis. Trauma survivors of all kinds (e.g., natural disasters, violent crime, medical crises, traumatic loss) report the importance of social bonds and supportive relationships in helping them not only survive but in some cases thrive following tragedies. Biologically, social ties stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that has been linked with the reduction of fear and anxiety, in part by limiting the cortisol response to stress.

Resource Article - Social Connections 
 Resource Article - Caregiver Burnout 
 Resource Article - 10 Tips for Improving Relationships 
 Wellcast - Nurturing Relationships

Change is a part of life. There is a need to think flexibly and embrace change as an opportunity for growth. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), also known as the Holmes-Rahe Scale of Life Stress, identifies both positive and negative life changes with stress. Learn to view the challenge of change as a routine part of life.

Resource Article - Dealing with Change 
 Wellcast - Creating Positive Change in Your Life 
 Wellcast - Removing Roadblocks to Change

There is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of appropriate humor as a coping mechanism. In order to notice the humor in a situation, we must be willing to step back and take on the role of an observer. This distance can also help us gain perspective and acknowledge the pain or awkwardness of a situation.

Stress Relief from Laughter: It's No Joke 
Using Humor to Deal with Setbacks 
Laughter is the Best Medicine

Being grateful for the things that go right and the people that help out along the way is another component of resilience. This is in sharp contrast to feeling entitled to having things go your way. Instead, there are positive psychological benefits to acknowledging the people in your life, the events worthy of celebrating, and even the little things that make life easier.

Cultivating Gratitude 
Make a Gratitude Adjustment 
Take This Job and Love It 
An Attitude of Gratitude

Being willing to ask for and/or receive help can be difficult, especially for people in the helping and education professions. Consider that modeling a willingness to seek out or accept help for your friends, colleagues, or family members will show them how they can also seek guidance or support.

Work/Life Connections - EAP 
Online Screening 
Seeking Mental Health Care