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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, БЕРЕЗЕНЬ 2020 WWW. UNW LA.ORG 3 3 EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE A Guide to Rediscovering and Reinve nting Yourself by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP Why is it that some individuals always seem to have it all together? When challenged and faced with significant emotional stress, they not only handle it well, they rise above it. What special power or gift do thos e individuals possess? The answer is simple — emotional re - silience. The American Psychological Association defines this as a process of ad a pting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, thr eats or significant sources of stress. The main point to be derived from th is definition is “ad a pting well.” Before w e delve into the “how to” aspect of develop ing this mind set, a few points about “starting point” should be made . Humans are complex beings and ad o pting behavior change begins with recognizing that our background, family, and social values play a major role in influenci ng how we handle various situ - ations. W here you live also plays a role ( city vs . suburban vs . rural living ) beca use these settings all provide different environmental exposures. Re - si lience also varies with a ge and changes over a life time. Gender and cultural beliefs are also significant factor s . Individually or in groups, a ll these points add to the complexity of a “baseline” emotional level. The variety of factors is rich and intric ate, but it is resilience that makes them work with each other to promote better emotional mindset and thus promote healthy coping habits that permit one to tackle life’s blows and bounce back. To start developing or enhancing this resilience, the first s tep is to focus on un con - ditional self - acceptance . Questioning y oursel f depletes a part of y our uniqu e individuality . People who do this often feel emotionally vulnerable. So step on e is A ccept W ho You A re. The n ext step is to work on how you perceive va rious situations. This means em - power ing y oursel f to perceive adversity as something temporary and draw ing strength from that coping mechanism. Repeating this action builds on more resilience in other situations. Action and adaptation are two ways hu - mans react to a given situation. If you know you are facing stress, acknowledge this fact. Then l ook for positi ves even when faced with negatives. Sur - round yourself with people who fuel positivity. Be open to change and flexibility. All of these mechanisms le ssen th e crisis level of a given situation. Also l ook for humor in trying times or situations; a good laugh, even at yourself, is always welcome and a good weapon to fend off stress and other negative feelings . Also recognize and accept your own limitation s: You do not need to have all the correct answers. Sometimes it is fine not to have it “all figured out” im mediately. Instead, t rust that you will gradually have the answer and be ready to accept it, whatever it may be. Remember that t houghts influence ou r actions and our mood. Positive thinking beats negative thinking hands down. Humans are social creatures, and inter - action with others gives us strength to overcome problems. By expanding our existing interpersonal relationships, we have the potential to build new ones. These relationships widen our vision and change the way we see ourselves. It is also helpful to e ngage in expressive writing about y our thoughts and concerns. In the midst of stress and extreme situations, listing concerns and worries on p aper helps decrease stress level and promotes resilience . Cultivate a sense of purpose. T his can be a powerful motivator that will literally pick you up when you fall short of your goals. Individuals who live with a purpose find meaning in all of life’s c hallenges. We are all capable of becoming emotionally resilient. No time like the present to start deploy ing the suggested strategies and join ing the ranks of those who seem to “have it all together . ” Шановні читачі та дописувачі! Для швидшого отриман ня Ваших листів і вчасної реакції з боку редакції, просимо листи з питань доставки, зм іни адреси та передплати журналу «Наше життя» писати на адресу: 203 Second Avenue, 5 th Floor, New York, NY , 10003 - 57 06 , або надсилайте на електронну пошту offi ce @ unwla . org Листи з дописами, фотографіями, запитаннями про друк та ін. пишіть на адресу: 203 Second Avenue , 5 th Floor , New York , NY , 10003 - 5706 , аб о надсилайте на електронну пошту unwlaourlife @ gmail . com
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