7 tips for building up resilience

"Why do you stay there in the cold?" - This question was often asked to me when I was in France, amidst the freezing cold, without central heating. I found it amusing because it shows how we as humans often think. When things get tough, we quickly give up or opt for the easiest solution. However, in my real and honest opinion, it’s not funny at all.

We are often accustomed to comfort and convenience.
This keeps you in your comfort zone and makes you dependent on others or external factors. This hinders you from pushing your boundaries and discovering how powerful you truly are. Out of fear of failure or rejection, you often don't even dare to take the first step...

I'm here to tell you that there's nothing wrong with you; it's just the way you're 'programmed'. Don't take risks, but play it safe is something we hear regularly. But let me ask you this: what happens to you when your safe haven is taken away, like your relationship, for example?

Building resilience enables you to thrive amidst life's uncertainties. Therefore, fostering resilience is not just important; it's essential for personal growth and overall happiness. You are being less influenced by the outerworld, instead you start to trust on your own capabilities.

This blog provides you with 7 practical tips to implement and ánd why it's important to build up resilience.

Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and confront difficult situations. By facing adversity, you'll develop the resilience needed to overcome obstacles in the future. Staying in the cold for instance taught me valuable lessons about myself. I really don’t need much and can survive even in extreme circumstances. Therefore, there’s no fear or stress whenever something outside myself happens. Here’s the thing: everything you’re facing is temporary - everything comes and goes.  

Instead of relying solely on external factors or other people for support, learn to trust in your own abilities and inner strength. Recognize that you have the power to overcome challenges independently. In our modern society we rely on many other things outside ourselves such as insurances, banks, job contracts or our partner. This makes you ‘numb’, and dependent. By breaking these patterns you will discover that it’s not scary to go on a holiday by yourself, for instance.

During my travels I came with this mantra “Where there’s fear, that’s where your growth is”. Everytime I faced fear I questioned if it was a real fear or something people taught me to be afraid of. It made me push through my limitations each time and discovered it wasn’t as scary as my mind had made up.

Identify and challenge any negative beliefs or thought patterns that may be holding you back. Replace self-limiting beliefs with empowering affirmations that reinforce your resilience and potential. For this, new people are essential. They can point out where you are limiting yourself and support you during transition.

Don't let fear of failure or rejection prevent you from taking risks and pursuing your goals. Take calculated risks, knowing that setbacks are opportunities for growth and learning. We often don’t take these risks, out of fear of being unsuccessful. We value our self worth based on what others think of us. Instead, cultivate enough self love to understand that you are already perfect and don’t need anybody’s approval. Reflect on yourself and find out why you’re not doing what you say you want to be doing.

View adversity as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation. Embrace setbacks as valuable learning experiences that can strengthen your resilience and character. There are no real setbacks, only learning lessons. Once you’re able to look at life from this point of view, you’ll invite fun instead of misery. This increases your resilience tremendously, because everytime you get back up you become wiser. 

Develop self-awareness and emotional regulation skills to better cope with stress and adversity. Practice mindfulness techniques to stay present and grounded during challenging times. What is the worst thing that can happen? When you face your biggest fear, the fear itself will lose its grip on you. 

Instead of dwelling on the pain or difficulty of a situation, search for meaning and purpose in your experiences. Recognize that adversity can lead to personal growth, resilience, and a deeper understanding of yourself. Ask yourself: “What can I learn from this experience?”

You might wonder... why should I start working on my resilience? Well, building resilience is crucial as it helps you gain the mental and emotional strength to navigate life's challenges effectively. There's only one certainty in life and that's that everything changes. You can better be prepared and stay grounded within yourself. The benefits of being resilient can be summed up as follows:

• It helps you bounce back from setbacks and adapt to new circumstances.
• It empowers you to cope with stress, overcome obstacles, and maintain a positive outlook.
• You're working on a greater emotional well-being and mental health as change will have less grip on you.
• You'll get stronger relationships, enhanced problem-solving skills, and a greater sense of self-confidence.
  

That being said, we understand that breaking through barriers is not always easy to do on your own. That's why we are here to help youovercome any obstacles (for instance, during our pilgrimages) You have the power to work through them, we're here to help you remember.