Everyone has resilience. And everyone can become more resilient. 

It doesn’t matter how old you are or what phase of life you’re in, there are ways to grow your inner strength.

What is resilience?

When life has challenges, resilience is your ability to recover from difficulties that you face. It’s the inner strength you use to overcome tough situations, adapt to changes outside of your control, and keep thriving. Being resilient doesn't mean it’s easy to face hard situations or that you won't feel angry, sad, or worried. But it does mean that you may feel like you can cope and respond to the situation(s) in spite of barriers.

Many things can shape your resilience:

• Family and home life
• Who you are as an individual, how you think about yourself and your self-esteem
• Overall wellbeing, mental health and physical health
• The town or city you live in, social and community connections
• Education and employment
• Availability of services and supports

Building resilience

You may want help from a counsellor or program like BounceBack. Or, you can start building resilience on your own.

There are practices you can do every day that don’t take much time:

• Positive thinking. Try to find the positives in your situation, if you can. Ask yourself, what can I learn from this? Look to the future and expect that things will work out. You can't change what happens, but sometimes looking at a situation from a different perspective can change how you feel about it.
• Connection. Build a support network; friends, family and other social connections can strengthen resiliency. Join a sports team, get involved in the arts or volunteer. Build relationships with people who make you feel good. Be there for them when they need help, and don't be afraid to let them help you.
• Self-care. Eat well, have fun, get enough sleep, and exercise. Do things that you enjoy. See a movie. Have a good meal. Laugh with your friends. Relax your mind and body through mindfulness. Make a routine; the consistency of routine can help you feel more relaxed, organized, and able to face the day.
• Perspective. Remember that things will change, and that you have made it through difficult times before. Be thankful for the good things. Try to see the funny side, if there is one. Look at change as a positive challenge rather than a threat. Take a look at how and why you feel the way you do when things change.
• Goal setting. Taking on new experiences and getting out of your comfort zone to accomplish goals builds resiliency. List the things you've achieved in your life or those that make you proud. Use problem solving to manage stress.