“Some of the main characteristics of a person who has resilience are awareness, self-control, problem-solving skills, and social support. Resilient people are aware of situations, their emotional reactions, and the behavior of those around them. By remaining aware, they can maintain control of a situation and think of new ways to tackle problems. In many cases, resilient people emerge stronger after such difficulties “ (Kendra Cherry, 2023)

Resilient individuals display three qualities or behaviors that, when combined, form a solid foundation for implementing resilience across various aspects of life. These three qualities are emotional regulation, self-compassion, and cognitive agility. Understanding each of these qualities is beneficial to comprehend their role in fostering resilience in our daily lives.

Emotional regulation involves managing one's emotions and reactions to stimuli. Self-awareness and the ability to recognise what is occurring within oneself are crucial to emotional regulation. When we are emotionally regulated, we are effectively processing emotions and emotional stimuli in the limbic region of our brains. Conversely, when we are emotionally dysregulated, we tend to be stuck in the primitive survival part of our brain.

Self-compassion involves directing the kindness, compassion, and empathy we typically reserve for others towards ourselves, which many find challenging. It's crucial as it fosters self-acceptance. The standards we set for ourselves and the manner in which we talk to and about ourselves are often harsh and negative. We should strive to treat ourselves with the same care and affection we would offer to a dear friend.

Cognitive agility is the extent to which we adapt and shift our thought processes when doing so leads to more positive outcomes. (Waters,2020)

Cognitive agility centers on the brain's cortical or thinking region. When we possess cognitive agility, we can think clearly about the situations, people, and objects that populate our daily lives. The capacity to think differently or reframe our thoughts is essential to cognitive agility. Embracing a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed one, enables us to critically assess situations and understand the broader context.

When emotional regulation, self-compassion, and cognitive agility are integrated into our thoughts and feelings, the outcome is resilience!

MelinaJBW