Posts Tagged ‘resilience’
The Positive Side of Unpleasant Experiences
January 30, 2019
Why is it that some people seem to be able to weather difficult storms in life with strength while others shut down at the mere thought of disappointment?
It all boils down to personal resilience and your ability to adapt. The good news is resilience is learned.
You can learn new ways to respond to your own thoughts and feelings when unpleasant experiences arise. Though we can’t always control life’s challenges and setbacks, we can control the way they make us feel.
Life’s Difficulties Help Us Gain Perspective
Your vacation cruise was canceled because of a hurricane …
You’ve been searching for a new job for months now with no success…
You lost a loved one this year…
All of these difficulties, whether small or big, are about personal perception. For example, if you perceive a difficult situation as threatening, you might lose your ability to face it. This can lead to an endless cycle of negativity and avoidance. In stead of adapting and building your inner strength, you continue to shut down. However, if you change your prospective, you can develop coping abilities and work toward peace, happiness, and resolution.
Setbacks Can Make Us Stronger
There are many opportunities to develop resilience daily in our lives. Setbacks force us to weather the storm or come up with another plan. This type of adaptation helps us grow. It helps strengthen our resilience. Even the little unpleasant experiences in life like spilled coffee, running late, or
locking your keys in the car can help build resilience and strength.
Challenges Expand Our Emotional Capacity.
Compassion, love, empathy, pain, disappointment, and grief are just a few emotions that arise from unpleasant experiences. Pain gives us a great insight on self knowledge and awareness. These challenges help us strengthen our mental and emotional wellness.
We can’t avoid pain, setbacks, depression, anxiety, and unpleasant experiences in life. But, we can work on ways to overcome them. Ways to welcome happiness and build inner strength. We can learn to treat ourselves with kindness.
If you’d like to learn more about ways to alleviate depression and manage anxiety, learn more about our upcoming Freedom From Anxiety & Depression Weekend Intensive.
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3 Ways To Feel More Confident With Change
October 2, 2018
As we approach the fall season, it always reminds me of change. Leaves are changing colors, kids are starting a new school year, and there’s a coolness in the air (maybe, if you’re in NC). Change is an inevitable part of life but it certainly doesn’t make it easier.
There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ feelings to have in change. People feel scared, worried, sad, and even relieved or hopeful. Although feelings are fleeting, we absolutely can choose which ones to focus on. So, what’s the difference between someone who lets the fear of change take over versus someone who is confident with change?
Check out these 3 tips that make the difference in how you handle change..
Maintain your Routines
Often times when change happens, we focus so much on the change that we forget our normal routines. Simple things like going to the gym or having our morning coffee provides us with stability and comfort when other aspects of our life feel chaotic. These routines can also include healthy eating and sleeping habits.
Focus on what you CAN control
In change, it’s easy to worry and dwell on what we can’t control. For instance, maybe you are focusing on why you were laid off from work instead of what you can do next. Make a list of realistic actions steps. This will help to shift your focus and put you back in the driver’s seat.
Connect with Others
Most of us would agree that life is better shared. However, depending on our feelings about the change, it may cause us to isolate ourselves from our loved ones. It’s important to remember that because change is universal, chances are that someone you know has experienced what you are experiencing or at least can provide insight or support. Our loved ones know us the best. When we’re caught up in change, they can point out our strengths.
Feeling more confident with change? If you want to learn more, I’d love to walk with you on your journey.
Summer Program: Overcome Depression, Anxiety, and Stress!
June 5, 2018
Foundations Family Therapy is excited to roll out this 8 week program that can help overcome depression, anxiety, and stress and teach you new ways to respond to your thoughts and feelings. This exclusive program is limited to 10 participants and BCBS & Aetna insurance plans are accepted and billed for participants. You can sign up by contacting Sharon at (919) 285-4802 (x703) for $25/session or $175 paid in full.
Learn more about natural and holistic approaches that will help you live in the present. Practicing mindfulness has many positive benefits that can help you enjoy a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Instead of dwelling in the past or future, you’ll learn how to focus on the present.
Our 8 week program will also help participants develop techniques that build resilience to help better cope with unpleasant experiences in life. You’ll learn how to treat yourself with kindness and respond to your own thoughts and feelings in a healthy way. These are just a few benefits of this wonderful program! Make this summer the summer of positive change by putting your mental health first.
