Resilience, a term often heard in the context of personal development and psychology, refers to the remarkable ability of individuals to adapt, recover, and grow in the face of stress, adversity, or trauma. It's akin to a mental and emotional muscle that strengthens with use, allowing people to bounce back from challenges and emerge stronger. The science of resilience is a fascinating field that explores how this adaptability is not just an innate trait but a skill that can be cultivated and enhanced through various practices. Its importance in the lives of veterans is profound; resilience equips veterans to navigate life's inevitable ups and downs with greater ease and confidence. By understanding and applying principles such as positive thinking, emotional regulation, physical health, and fostering strong social connections, veterans can actively enhance their resilience. This not only improves veteran's ability to handle current stresses but also prepares veterans for future challenges, contributing to overall wellbeing and personal growth.
In the multifaceted world of the science of resilience there are three main positive coping strategies that lead to increased resilience: Connect, Care (for self), and Care (for others).
Connecting is about building relationships with others, but also with ourselves and with nature (green spaces). When it comes to relationships, or social capital, we have to remember that connecting to others is perhaps the single most effective coping strategy available to us. Relationships matter. But “relate” is also a verb. Becoming aware of what we attend to in our environments, our thoughts about those details, the actions we take based on those thoughts and the motivations for doing so—understanding this process and learning to consciously influence it is a powerful tool for building resilience.
“Our experience of a thing is what we agree to attend to.” – William James, philosopher and the founder of modern psychology
Caring for self (or self-care) is primarily about diet, exercise, and, just as importantly, planning "joyful distractions" into our day, week, month, and year. Of course, building resilience takes energy, and caring for ourselves is how we not only maintain our energy levels but enhance them as well. And it turns out that caring for others isn't only good for them, it's good for us and our brains, too; caring for others adds to our ability to be and become resilient. But we also need to recognize the power of those joyful activities that put a smile on our faces and replenish the energy tank, so to speak, whether it's going for a walk, reading a book, listening to music, playing a game or sport, hanging out with friends, or whatever the case might be. It's important--indeed it's paramount--that we don't set these activities aside but plan them into our busy schedules and stick to them.
Caring for others. This is simple. What we do for ourselves, we can do for others. It’s not only good for others; it’s good for us as well.
Connect. Care. Care. This is positive coping for veterans.
In the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn:
It is an extremely powerful articulation that no matter how many billions of dollars we throw at the problems of health in the American population, no amount of money can do the job. We have to ignite passion in people for taking care of themselves.
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