Navigating life’s ups and downs becomes significantly more manageable when you’ve built a substantial balance in your Resilience Bank Account. Just as a financial safety net can be a lifesaver in unexpected expenses or opportunities, a well-stocked reserve of emotional and mental strength is crucial for weathering the challenges that life and work throw our way, preventing stress overload and burnout. Like a rainy-day fund that you might use to help pay for a car repair or that extra vacation, having some financial assets in the bank will help you handle the worst storms.
Here are five strategies to build up your reserves:
- Anticipate stressors. Actively anticipate and prepare for foreseeable stressors in your daily life. For example, I like to leave early for flights leaving from the airport so I don’t get stressed if I hit traffic or if there is a long line at security.
- Cultivate a Positive Morning Routine: Beginning your day with worry sets a negative tone. Instead, dedicate a few moments each morning to engage with something uplifting, whether reading an inspiring story or reflecting on recent acts of kindness. Starting on a positive note dramatically improves your outlook for the day.
- Choose Your Company Wisely: Dodging energy vampires isn’t always possible, but knowing who they are helps. I gravitate towards people who fuel my energy — those who listen, share their wisdom, and back my endeavors, just as I back theirs. It’s about mutual support.
- Learn a Little Every Day: Aiming for a tiny bit of growth daily works wonders. If I improve by just 1% each day, I’m double as good in no time. Life always throws lessons at us, and I admit that I love to learn.
In the Resilience Advantage, the easiest path to resilience is to minimize situations that juice your immune system. Building your Resilience Bank Account means that we can, either sidestep them or take them all together, knowing we have the necessary resources to manage them
© Richard Citrin 2024
