Resilience

There are still hard days ahead for some of us. The good news is that you can increase your inner resilience.¹ You can learn skills and develop the capacity to handle stress and change.² We all face adversity; the key is to emerge stronger than before. First, learn to accept change. The current outbreak means that certain goals may no longer be realistic. Accept what you cannot change and focus on what you can improve. Aim to learn from your mistakes and remember how you have conquered challenges in the past.³ Your life should be meaningful to you.

Establish goals, bridges to a brighter future that will help you manage difficult times.⁴ Focus on healthy thoughts. Indulge in self-compassion.⁵ Identify areas of irrational thinking and catastrophizing. Return to a more realistic and balanced thinking pattern by analyzing and questioning unfounded thoughts.

Always stay proactive. Prioritize, set goals, review results, and block off time for important activities. Improvise new solutions, be inventive, and do more with what you have. There are also many external ways of fostering greater strength for yourself. Whenever we face hardship, it is easier to face it with the love of others.⁶ There is strength in numbers. Invest in relationships. Always try to foster wellness. Take care of your body: If you are healthier, it is easier to adapt to stress. Exercise reduces the risk of anxiety or depression.⁷ A healthy lifestyle also helps to keep disease and infections at bay. Avoid negative outlets such as tobacco, drugs, or alcohol.

Botanicals that help to resist

Herbal extracts known as adaptogens should also be considered. Adaptogens help the body deal with stress. They affect the production of stress hormones, inflammatory mediators, and other messengers related to homeostasis. They essentially help us adapt and survive.⁸

Ashwagandha is a well-known adaptogen. Traditionally used as a tonic, animal studies show that the plant can increase endurance, prevent stomach ulcers, and decrease the effects of stress on the adrenal glands.⁹ This root also supports cognition, reduces anxiety, and has been shown to improve memory loss.¹⁰

Eleutherococcus senticosus is another adaptogen supported by research. In studies, the plant was shown to be a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, and antibacterial agent. Extracts from this root can also reduce cholesterol levels and balance insulin.¹¹

Ginseng is also known to help face hardships. Panax ginseng has been reported to have extensive health benefits which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifatigue, antidiabetic, antitumour, immunomodulation, anti-obesity, cardioprotective¹², antimicrobial, and neuroprotective effects.¹³

Another plant worth mentioning is Rhodiola rosea. Some studies show improvements in physical endurance and reductions in mental fatigue after supplementation.^14,15

Remember that resilience is something we realize we possess after the fact. It is a reflex, a way of responding to the world that is more favourable. Face your reality, live a meaningful life, adapt to change by imagining new solutions, make connections, and take care of yourself. Resilience will follow.