By Dr Fairuz A’dilah Rusdi

Although there are many definitions of resilience, the most widely accepted description of the term is the dynamic process of positive attitudes and practical responses that a person uses in reaction to stresses and obstacles in life, or the capacity to persevere through hardship (Jensen et al., 2008).

Resilience is defined as "the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening conditions" (Masten et al., 1990, p. 425).

Other definitions of resilience, according to The American Psychological Association, is the ability to adjust oneself in the face of difficulty, tragedy, trauma, or severe sources of stress, such as problems with one's family, relationships, health, finances, or interpersonal disputes at work.

Resilience is a quality that an individual possesses which can help and aid one to overcome the challenges of life, recover at least as powerfully as before and continue to function optimally as a human being. Highly resilient individuals are those who bounce back, recover, pull through and heal despite the hard times they may face and still hold on and endure. Hence, is resilience a skill? Can resilience be taught? Does being resilient make all your problems go away?

First things first, by having resilience, you will be able to bounce back stronger and avoid falling apart in comparison to those individuals without this resilient quality. Although resilience will not solve your daily problems, it can nevertheless help you overcome them. By becoming a more resilient person, the probability of you enjoying life more is higher, and the chances of you coping with stress is better than compared to lesser resilient individuals.

In becoming a highly resilient individual, there are certain strategies and skills that you can develop to help grow your levels of resilience. For that reason, resilience can be taught.

Mental health and resiliency

You can save yourself against numerous mental health disorders like sadness, depression and anxiety by developing resilience. Being resilient can help you cope better with a current mental health problem.

Ways to increase your levels of resilience

Think about the following strategies if you want to build your resilient levels or improve them:

• Reducing stress through healthy behaviours like getting adequate sleep, eating well, and exercising can increase resilience. Use practices for stress reduction and relaxation, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, prayer, getting a pet and laughing more. Higher resilience has been correlated with regular moral reflection and active adherence to one's principles.
• Resilience can be tested by any disaster, tragedy or calamity, be it facing the death of a loved one, losing a job, encountering an illness, or being traumatised over a tragic event. You can recover from any challenge or impediment by getting connected and reaching out to loved ones for assistance and emotional support, and concentrating on things that are within your control. Having solid, supportive relationships with family and friends can give you the support, direction, and acceptance you need in both good and terrible times. This may include affiliating oneself with a religious or spiritual group, which can forge additional, crucial relationships.
• Remain optimistic. Although you cannot undo the past, you can always look ahead and learn from it. It is simpler to adjust and approach new problems with less fear when you accept and even anticipate change. Consider your past experiences with overcoming adversity. Think about the abilities and tactics that got you through challenging circumstances. To help you spot both positive and negative behaviour patterns and inform your future behaviour. Furthermore, reflecting on and embracing a failure can teach you things that will prevent it from happening again in the future. The key is to learn from the experience, not run away from it.
• Love yourself more and ensure your well-being is kept as a priority. Always be mindful of your wants and emotions. Boost your self-care. Engage in pastimes and activities you find enjoyable. Get lots of rest, take a breather once in a while and establish regular bedtime routines. Adopting a balanced diet is also very crucial. All of these are essential for self-enrichment and to better your life for the long term.
• Give each day a purpose. On a daily basis, engage in activities that make you feel accomplished and purposeful. Make every day that you experience meaningful and significant. This is to enable you to look forward to the future with a purpose and help you to achieve your goals.

Why mistakes and failure are beneficial

Yet, in whatever circumstances, everyone will fail at least once in their lives, regardless of how resilient they may seem to be. To fail is human and failing is in fact a human experience. However, just because something is typical doesn't indicate that going through a significant setback or loss is simple or enjoyable. It also doesn't mean that it's universally accepted in a culture where success is valued above all else.

In spite of this, developing the ability to accept making mistakes, is a crucial trait that is linked to resilience and, possibly, future triumph.

When to consult a professional

It takes time and repetition to become more resilient. Consider speaking to a mental health professional if you don't feel like you're making progress or if you don't know where to begin. With help, you can strengthen your mental health and resilience.

fairuz@umk.edu.my

-- BERNAMA

Dr Fairuz A’dilah Binti Rusdi is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Language Studies and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, with a background in burnout, resilience and psychology.