5 Ways to Overcome Life’s Hurdles and be More Resilient
Sometimes life can hand us man than we can handle, and this can cause stress, heart-break (quite literally), and even long-term illness. People with resilience seem to take setbacks in stride and make lemonade out of their lemons, though. So, how can you become more resilient so that life’s big stressors don’t get you down and keep you down?
1. Understand that any Big Change can Temporarily Increase Your Stress Levels
It is imperative to care for yourself during times of change so that you can limit the long-term affects of stress on your body, mind, and spirit. Especially after a loved one’s death, a divorce, a job change, a relationship shift, or other big changes, it is time to be quiet and still as often as possible and to find the peace that comes from pain. The greatest gift we can give ourselves sometimes is to sit with discomfort instead of becoming busier to mask it.
2. Try Yarrow Root to Help Calm the Nervous System and Support Your Resiliency
Yarrow, also called Achillea millefolium (referring to the great warrior Achilles), was once used to stop nosebleeds, and even as divination sticks in ancient China for the I-Ching. It is also a great plant to support stress levels when time’s are tough. Yarrow has been used for over 3000 years for everything including enhancing female reproductive health to reducing muscle spasms and supporting gastrointestinal health. Since the way we stomach our emotions is key to our health, it makes sense that Yarrow would be helpful in this regard.
3. Organic Tulsi can Help to Promote the Resiliency of Youth
If you remember feeling you could face anything in your younger years, you probably weren’t alone; that feeling of invincibility is often accompanied by youth. One herb that could be beneficial in supporting youthful resilience is the Tulsi plant, or Holy Basil. Holy basil offers numerous benefits, including the easing of mental tensions, supporting poor lifestyle choices (through balancing our digestive and cellular functions), enhancing our stamina to face life’s challenges, and giving us more energy.
4. You can Stress Proof Your Brain with Meditation
Your nervous system can be trained to take on high levels of stress without it adversely affecting you. Neuropsychologist, Dr. Rick Hanson, talks about this in his book, Stress Proof Your Brain. Plus, there are countless studies which prove that meditation is effective for pain management – so effective, in fact, that it could outrank morphine.
5. Breathe
In recent studies, just five minutes of deep breathing daily could help victims of PTSD, so why not you? Instead of holding your breath and inducing a more uncontrolled feeling of panic, why not practice pranayama, the yogic tradition of using breathwork to change how the body responds to stress.
Is this written by someone with an interest in herb sales?
Become more realistic about the life event you are experiencing and put it into proper perspective to help relieve the overwhelming feelings of stress. Self-esteem plays an important role in coping with stress and recovering from difficult events. Remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments. Becoming more confident about your own ability to respond and deal with crisis is a great way to build resilience for the future. In the face of crisis or tragedy, finding a sense of purpose can play an important role in recovery. Having caring, supportive people around you acts as a protective factor during times of crisis. It is important to have people you can confide in.
Flexibility is an essential part of resilience. By learning how to be more adaptable, you'll be better equipped to respond when faced with a life crisis. Staying optimistic during dark periods can be difficult, but maintaining a hopeful outlook is an important part of resiliency. It means understanding that setbacks are transient and that you have the skills and abilities to combat the challenges you face. What you are dealing with may be difficult, but it is important to remain hopeful and positive about a brighter future.
Linda — VLCNW Student