Resilience refers to how you bounce back from life’s challenges. Building resilience can influence whether you crumble under pressure and maintain your cool. Resilient people seem to maintain a positive outlook on life and everything life encompasses, which helps them successfully cope with stress.
Resiliency is not something you always need. However, resilience is beneficial when life gives you lemons and you want to make lemonade. This blog post will shed light on how we at The Guest House empower alumni with self-care strategies that keep them on track with recovery. In addition, this article will discuss opportunities to develop resilience at The Guest House, which often involves self-care strategies.
Building Resilience Through Purpose
In recovery, finding a sense of purpose is essential. A sense of purpose can give meaning to life’s difficulties and challenges. With a sense of purpose, you will be motivated to learn from past mistakes and work toward a better future. When you identify a greater purpose and use it to guide yourself, this helps you with building resilience.
It can be easy to lose your identity during addiction. However, recovery teaches you that you are not your past. You can become a new version of yourself. You can find purpose in almost anything when you have a positive mindset.
Several ways to find purpose may include:
- Volunteering
- Engaging in social activities
- Participating in 12-Step programs
- Making art or creative pieces
- Exercising
- Going to school
When life happens, building resiliency through purpose can be the difference between sobriety and relapse. This purpose can be anything from growing a plant to sweeping the sidewalks in your town. Purpose does not have to be something extravagant. After all, your recovery is about you, and no two recovery journeys are the same.
Believe In Yourself
Having confidence in your abilities can decrease stressors tremendously. An article from Psychology Today titled “Resilience: The Power to Overcome, Adjust, and Persevere” provides guidance on how to do this. “Acknowledge the lessons you learned so far and what they have taught you,” the authors state. Accepting the lessons and learning to become better as a result of them will build self-esteem and teach you resiliency.
Also, you need to believe that your needs are important. Self-care teaches you to put yourself first and hone in on what you need instead of what others need. To build resiliency, self-care is important. As you treat yourself like you’re important, you will become more confident.
Listen for those negative comments in your head. When those thoughts surface, change them to positive comments. For example, you may think, “I am not smart enough.” You can change that thought to, “I am intelligent and can get any job done.” You are the author of your thoughts. To believe in yourself, you have to change that “stinkin’ thinkin'” and start to build resiliency.
Building Resilience Through Yoga
The Guest House has a phenomenal program that is tailored to your recovery and can help you with building resiliency. One of the many ways to practice self-care is through yoga and meditation. Yoga and meditation have both been around for centuries and have provided connection and healing within the nervous system.
According to Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) by Brian J. Kenny and Bruno Bordoni, the vagus nerve is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve regulates bodily functions including the immune system, nervous system, digestive system, and cardiovascular system.
When your vagus nerve is functioning well, you are able to stay in a calm and relaxed state of mind. This positive state can happen through yoga and meditation. Yoga teaches you to connect to the body with breath, thereby sending a sense of relaxation throughout the body’s system. The goal is to allow your body to enter a calm state and not force movements. Yoga meets you right where you are at, allowing you to come into the present moment and be at peace.
Building Resilience Through Journaling
Talking to a therapist may not always be an option for you. However, journaling can be an effective method for building resiliency. Writing your thoughts and emotions down can decrease stress and negativity while making room for positive emotions. It is important to have emotional outlets in recovery.
Journaling can be difficult to initiate. Many people struggle with where to start. Take that pressure off of yourself and start where you feel comfortable. You are working on building resiliency, not writing a book! Perhaps start small by writing simple words that reflect your current feelings. Reflecting on your thoughts can motivate your resiliency. Who knows, you may discover a part of yourself that you didn’t know existed.
Resilience at The Guest House
There are many ways to build resilience. However, several strategies will likely work best for you at this time. At The Guest House, we will support your journey no matter what that looks like. Your unique needs are the most important factors to us. We offer many programs tailored to meet your specific needs. What’s more, we don’t put pressure on you. Instead, we offer kindness and compassion.
We are located in sunny Florida, surrounded by many beautiful, peaceful acres of land. We would be honored to serve you, no matter what your recovery needs are.
Resiliency will look unique for you due to the specific events you have experienced. Showing up for yourself is the hardest part of recovery. Many times, it is easier to show up for others than to put yourself first. Self-care teaches you to utilize the skills that can build resiliency. The ability to bounce back from any situation is hard work, but you know all about hard work. You understand what it entails to rise up from the ashes into a new version of you. If you or anyone you know struggles with addiction or wants to learn more about resiliency, please do not hesitate and give The Guest House a call at (855) 483-7800.