Being emotionally and mentally healthy does not mean never going through bad times or experiencing emotional problems. We all go through disappointments, loss, and change. Moreover, while these are normal parts of life, they can still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress.
The difference is that people with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. This ability is called resilience. People who are emotionally and mentally healthy have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and creative in bad times as well as good.
One of the key factors in resilience is the ability to balance your emotions. The capacity to recognise your emotions and express them appropriately helps you avoid being stuck in depression, anxiety, or other negative mood states. Another key factor is having a strong social support network. Having trusted people you can turn to for encouragement and support will boost your resilience in tough times
Building your RESILIENCE
Resilience involves maintaining flexibility and balance in your life as you deal with stressful circumstances and traumatic events.This happens in several ways, including:
- Letting yourself experience strong emotions, and also realising when you may need to avoid experiencing them at times in order to continue functioning
- Stepping forward and taking action to deal with your problems and meet the demands of daily living, and also stepping back to rest and reenergise yourself
- Spending time with loved ones to gain support and encouragement, and also nurturing yourself
- Relying on others, and also relying on yourself
