Building Personal and Community Resilience Tip Sheets
Resilience gives people the strength to cope with stress and hardship. It is what we call upon in times of need to carry us through life’s difficulties without falling apart.
Resilient individuals are better able to handle adversity and rebuild their lives after a struggle; and while resilience does not eliminate stress, it allows us to work through painful feelings of loss and recover.
In the wake of traumas such as the 9/11 attacks, many individuals demonstrate behaviors that typify resilience and experience fewer symptoms of depression as a result. Fortunately, resilience, and resilient relationships can be developed over time through mindfulness, expressions of gratitude and appreciation, and keeping the big picture in mind.
What is Resilience?Is resilience a trait, an ability, or an outcome? Resiliency may be felt as the culmination of suffering and subsequent growth through it – with the process of recovery leading to a stronger foundation.
Mindfulness and Self-CompassionMindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present. When we are mindful, we are living in the moment. When we become more aware of our thoughts, we also increase our ability to practice self-compassion.
Developing Resilient RelationshipsCreating and maintaining enduring relationships is important for maintaining physical and emotional health. It is the quality of our relationships that determines their impact on our personal resilience.
Gratitude and AppreciationWe are all capable of learning how to embrace gratitude and appreciation as tools to improve our personal well-being. When applied in daily life, there are physical, psychological and interpersonal benefits to doing so.
VOICES Support - Phone: 203-966-3911; Email: support [at] voicescenter.org (Support[at]VoicesCenter[dot]org)
Mission - From 9/11 to today, VOICES helps families and communities heal after tragedy. VOICES assists communities in preparing for and recovering from traumatic events, and provides long-term support and resources that promote mental health care and wellness, for victims’ families, responders and survivors.