Research has shown that while some people seem to come by resilience naturally, these behaviors can also be learned. The following are just a few of the techniques you should focus on in order to foster your own resilience.

1. Build Positive Beliefs in Your Abilities

Research has demonstrated that 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.

2. Find a Sense of Purpose in Your Life

After her 13-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Candace Lightner founded Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Upset by the driver's light sentence, Lightner decided to focus her energy into creating awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. "I promised myself on the day of Cari’s death that I would fight to make this needless homicide count for something positive in the years ahead," she later explained. In the face of crisis or tragedy, finding a sense of purpose can play an important role in recovery. This might involve becoming involved in your community, cultivating your spirituality or participating in activities that are meaningful to you.

3. Develop a Strong Social Network

Having caring, supportive people around you acts as a protective factor during times of crisis (Jones). It is important to have people you can confide in. While simply talking about a situation with a friend or loved one will not make troubles go away, it allows you to share your feelings, gain support, receive positive feedback and come up with possible solutions to your problems.

4. Embrace Change

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. Resilient people often utilize these events as an opportunity to branch out in new directions. While some people may be crushed by abrupt changes, highly resilient individuals are able to adapt and thrive.

5. Be Optimistic

Staying positive during dark periods can be difficult, but maintaining a hopeful outlook is an important part of resiliency. Being an optimist does not mean ignoring the problem in order to focus on positive outcomes. 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.

6. Nurture Yourself

When you're stressed, it can be all too easy to neglect your own needs. Losing your appetite, ignoring exercising and not getting enough sleep are all common reactions to a crisis situation. Focus on building your self-nurturance skills, even when you are troubled. Make time for activities that you enjoy. By taking care of your own needs, you can boost your overall health and resilience and be fully ready to face life's challenges.

7. Develop Your Problem-Solving Skills

Research suggests that people who are able come up with solutions to a problem are better able to cope with problems than those who cannot (Jones). Whenever you encounter a new challenge, make a quick list of some of the potential ways you could solve the problem. Experiment with different strategies and focus on developing a logical way to work through common problems. By practicing your problem-solving skills on a regular basis, you will be better prepared to cope when a serious challenge emerges.

8. Establish Goals

Crisis situations are daunting. They may even seem insurmountable. Resilient people are able to view these situations in a realistic way, and then set reasonable goals to deal with the problem. When you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by a situation, take a step back to simply assess what is before you. Brainstorm possible solutions, and then break them down into manageable steps.

9. Take Steps to Solve Problems

Simply waiting for a problem to go away on its own only prolongs the crisis. Instead, start working on resolving the issue immediately. While there may not be any fast or simple solution, you can take steps toward making your situation better and less stressful. Focus on the progress that you have made thus far and planning your next steps, rather than becoming discouraged by the amount of work that still needs to be accomplished.

10. Keep Working on Your Skills

Resilience may take time to build, so do not become discouraged if you still struggle to cope with problematic events. According to Dr. Russ Newman, "research has shown that resilience is not an extraordinary thing but is rather ordinary and can be learned by most anyone" (2002). Psychological resilience does not involve any specific set of behaviors or actions, but can vary dramatically from one person to the next. Focus on practicing some of the common characteristics of resilient people, but also remember to build upon your existing strengths.

Resilience: Coping With Crisis

ntroduction

Dealing with change or loss is an inevitable part of life. At some point, everyone experiences varying degrees of setbacks. Some of these challenges might be relatively minor (not getting into a class you really wanted to take), while others are disastrous on a much larger scale (hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist attacks). How we deal with these problems can play a major role in not only the outcome, but also the long-term psychological consequences.

What Is Resilience?

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to remain calm in the face of disaster, while others seem to fall apart? People that are able to keep their cool have what psychologists call resilience, or an ability to cope with problems and setbacks. Resilient people are able to utilize their skills and strengths to cope and recover from problems and challenges, which may include job loss, financial problems, illness, natural disasters, medical emergencies, divorce or the death of a loved one.

Those who lack this resilience may instead become overwhelmed by such experiences. They may dwell on problems and use unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with such challenges. Generally, these individuals are slower to recover from setbacks and may experience more psychological distress as a result.

Resilience does not eliminate stress or erase life's difficulties. Instead, it gives people the strength to tackle problems head on, overcome adversity and move on with their lives. In the wake of traumas such as the 9/11 attacks and the Hurricane Katrina disaster, many individuals demonstrated the behaviors that typify resilience. Even in the face of events that seem utterly unimaginable, people are able to marshal the strength to not just survive, but to prosper.

Some individuals come by these abilities naturally, with personality traits that help them remain unflappable in the face of challenge. However, these behaviors are not simply an inborn trait found in a select few individuals. According to many experts, resilience is actually quite common and people are very capable of learning the skills that it takes to become more resilient.

Explore the articles below to learn more about resilience, test your own skills and learn how you can learn the behaviors you'll need to survive a crisis situation.

While people vary dramatically in the coping skills they use when confronting crisis, there are some key characteristics of resilience that have been identified. Many of these skills can be developed and strengthened, which can improve your ability to deal with life's setbacks.

Awareness:

Resilient people are aware of the situation, their own emotional reactions and the behavior of those around them. In order to manage feelings, it is essential to understand what is causing them and why. By remaining aware, resilient people can maintain their control of the situation and think of new ways to tackle problems.

An Understanding that Setbacks are Part of Life:

Another characteristic of resilience is the understanding that life is full of challenges. While we cannot avoid many of these problems, we can remain open, flexible and willing to adapt to change.

An Internal Locus of Control:

Do you perceive yourself as having control over your own life? Or do you blame outside sources for failures and problems? Generally, resilient people tend to have what psychologists call an internal locus of control. They believe that the action they take will affect the outcome of an event. Of course, some factors are simply outside of our personal control, such as natural disasters. While we may be able to put some blame on external causes, it is important to feel as if we have the power to make choices that will affect our situation, our ability to cope and our future.

Strong Problem-Solving Skills:

When a crisis emerges, will you be able to spot the solution that will lead to a safe outcome. In danger situations, people sometimes develop tunnel vision. They fail to note important details or take advantages of opportunities. Resilient individuals, on the other hand, are able to calming and rationally look and the problem and envision a successful solution.

Having Strong Social Connections:

Whenever you're dealing with a problem, it is important to have people who can offer support. Talking about the challenges you are facing can be an excellent way to gain perspective, look for new solutions or simply express your emotions.

Identifying as a Survivor, Not a Victim:

When dealing with any potential crisis, it is essential to view yourself as a survivor. Avoid thinking like a victim of circumstance, and instead look for ways to resolve the problem. While the situation may be unavoidable, you can still stay focused on a positive outcome.

Being Able to Ask for Help:

While being resourceful is an important part of resilience, it is also essential to know when to ask for help. During a crisis, people can benefit from the help of psychologists and counselors specially trained to deal with crisis situations. Other potential sources of assistance include:

Books – Reading about people who have experienced and overcome a similar problem can be both motivating and good for ideas on how to cope.

Online Message Boards – Online communities can provide continual support and a place to talk about issues with people who have been in a similar situation.

Support Groups – Attending support group meetings is a great way to talk about the challenges you're facing and find a network of people who can provide compassion and support.

Psychotherapy – If you are having trouble coping with a crisis situation, consulting a qualified mental health professional can help you confront the problem, identify your strengths and develop new coping skills.

Relaţiile de ataşament, relaţionarea adecvată şi sentimentul apartenenţei, existenţa unor relaţii stabile şi satisfăcătoare reprezintă, conform studiilor de specialitate, factor de rezilienţă pe întregul parcurs al vieţii.

Ce este rezilienţa?

În primul rând, este un termen pentru a explica rezistenţa materialelor la şocuri, primele publicaţii care conţin acest termen datând din anii 1939-1945. Rezilienţa (sau rezistenţa la şoc) reprezintă capacitatea unui material de a absorbi o anumită cantitate de energie înainte de a se rupe, atunci când este lovit brusc de un corp solid. Rezilienţa se determină la un aparat numit pendul de rezilienţă, pe epruvete prismatice cu sectiunea pătrată sau circulară, prevăzute cu o crestătură. Rezilienţa se determină la materialele din care se fac piese şi scule supuse la şocuri (loviri) în timpul utilizării: roţi dinţate, matriţe, etc. Noţiunea a fost preluată de numeroase domenii: botanică, etologie, economie, etc termenul definind în sens larg capacitatea de rezista la şocuri, dezechilibre dar şi de psihologie unde se vorbeşte despre rezilienţa psihologică.Rezilienţa psihologică se referă la capacitatea individului de a suporta stresori fără a manifesta disfuncţii psihologice, boli psihice sau dispoziţie negativă persistentă – capacitatea persoanei de a evita psihopatologia în ciuda diferitelor circumstanţe dificile. Stresorii psihologici sau „factorii de risc” pot fi acuţi sau cronici (ex. moartea cuiva drag, boală cronică, abuz emoţional sau fizic, şomaj sau violenţă). Procesul central în clădirea rezilienţei constă în dezvoltarea aptitudinilor de coping. Modelul de bază al acestui proces este reprezentat de schema: stresorul A (sau sursa potenţială de stres) determină o reprezentare cognitivă cu determinarea deciziei dacă A semnifică un eveniment care poate fi rapid gestionat sau reprezintă o sursă de stres deoarece poate depăşi posibilităţile de coping ale

persoanei. Dacă stresorul este considerat periculos, răspunsurile de coping sunt puse în mişcare. Rezilienţa presupune şi o constelaţie de trăsături de personalitate care servesc ca resurse de rezistenţă atunci când întâlnim situaţii stresogene. Ea cuprinde trei elemente de bază:• provocarea – perceperea schimbării ca normale şi naturale şi, deopotrivă, ca oportunitate pentru dezvoltarea personală• implicare – presupune perceperea semnificaţiei, găsirea de sens în acţiunile întreprinse şi dorinţa de participare activă• control – presupune credinţa că acţiunile noastre pot avea un impact semnificativ asupra circumstanţelor existenţei

Unul dintre pionierii etologiei franceze, Boris Cyrulnik are ca principală preocupare conceptul de rezilienţă - capacitatea de a putea depăşi traumatismele psihice şi rănile emoţionale cele mai grave - boală, doliu, viol, tortură, atentat, deportare sau război. Pe baza numeroaselor cazuri analizate în cabinetul său de psihoterapie sau observate în timpul misiunilor sale în străinătate, Cyrulnik susţine că oamenii au capacitatea de a depăşi situaţiile cele mai teribile datorită anumitor abilităţi deprinse în copilărie, care îi ajută să treacă peste experienţele traumatizante.Cyrulnik este preocupat în mod deosebit de situaţia copiilor străzii. El a declarat că s-a interesat de aceşti copii ai străzii, pentru a-i examina şi a vedea exact cum pot depăşi situaţia în care se află prin evaluarea resurselor interne. Potrivit prof.dr.Boris Cyrulnik, depăşirea unei situaţii traumatice depinde de istoria personală a fiecăruia.

În opinia sa, cel mai bun loc de ieşire şi de exprimare a acestor copii, care nu totdeauna sunt apţi să îşi dezvăluie sentimentele, este chiar strada în care ei stau. Specialistul trebuie să meargă în stradă şi acolo să discute cu copilul şi să-l evalueze. În cadrul acestei evaluări şi încercării de a vedea cum pot fi ajutate persoanele care au suferit diferite traumatisme, un rol important îl are afecţiunea, care este mai importantă decât hrana. Specialistul francez a menţionat că, din păcate, există o prevalenţă a materialului în deficitul afectivului şi sunt foarte mulţi rezilienţi din cauza lipsei de afectivitate. Există o neglijenţă afectivă în zilele noastre, chiar din partea părinţilor, care sunt foarte ocupaţi în a câştiga bani, la serviciu, şi atunci copiii se mulţumesc cu mesajele pe care le primesc pe frigider iar lumea lor se reduce la computer, eventual joacă şi foarte, foarte puţină afecţiune, a explicat Cyrulnik. Chiar şi în cazul familiilor bogate, a continuat el, există această lipsă de afecţiune, din cauza faptului că cei mai mulţi îşi cresc copiii fie cu o bonă, fie cu altcineva care să-i îngrijească şi îi lipsesc de afecţiunea părintească. De cele mai multe ori, aceşti copii devin obezi iar neglijenţa afectivă nu se vede imediat, ci mai târziu, a mai spus Boris Cyrulnik.Există numeroşi termeni în literature psihologică despre rezilienţă folosiţi fie ca sinonime, fie pentru a descrie caracteristicile acesteia:• Coping adaptativ• Inteligenţă emoţională (Daniel Goleman)

• Rezistenţă• Optimism învăţat (Martin Seligman)• Descoperirea resurselor (Rosenbaum)• Orientare în viaţă• Resurse• Stimă de sine, Auto-eficienţă, încredere în sine• Personalitate auto-vindecătoare (Howard Friedman)• Sentimentul coerenţei (Aaron Antonovsky)Care sunt caracteristicile persoanelor cu rezilienţă crescută?

• Abilitatea de a-şi reveni din orice situaţie stresantă• Au o atitudine de tipul “dacă vrei, poţi”• Tendinţa de a privi problemele noi ca pe oportunităţi• Abilitatea de “a se ţine tare” în situaţii dificile• Capacitatea de a vedea micile ferestre de oportunitate şi de a profita la maxim de ele.• Să aibă un sistem constant şi sănătos de valori• Au o largă reţea de suport social• Au capacitatea de a gestiona competent diferite tipuri de situaţii• Au o zonă largă de comfort• Capacitatea de a se recupera după situaţii traumatice

Werner (1995) defi neşte rezilienţa cafi ind un concept care descrie adaptarea reuşită după expunerea la factori de risc biologicişi/sau psihosocialişi sau la evenimente de viaţă stresante. Barbarin (1994) numeşte rezilienţă capacitatea de a face faţă cât mai bine unei situaţii difi cile, de a înfrunta condiţii dezorganizate de viaţă, de a supravieţuişi a se dezvolta, în ciuda unor resurse limitateşi a unui mediu defavorizan