STRESS: IMPROVING EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE

I think everyone knows what it feels like to be stressed and what happens to our bodies and mental state. When we are stressed it generally stems from this one aspect:

Certain situations that apply pressure upon us - When we don't have much or any control over a sudden event, or certain situations which give us much to think about. Even situations where we have an abundant of things to do. Sometimes our reactions allow us to feel stress and these are the demands that have been placed upon our shoulders - giving us difficulty to cope.

During these periods we may experience certain feelings, such as threatened or sadness and generally the body automatically produces a stress response. The stress response can create a number of physical symptoms in the way you react or behave which carries onto more intense emotions. Stress affects us in many ways, whether physical or emotional and there are various different level of intensities we all experience.

Being stressed and under pressure is a part of the journey, its something we all experience whether big or small. However, from another angle pressure can help us take positive action only if the mind-set is right. We have to be optimistic and really energise ourselves with the intention to receive positive results. But often, we become overwhelmed by stress and let it overshadow our minds. We sink ourselves into the deep ocean giving us no room to breathe. We usually don't have the right mechanisms to deal with stress, but depending on specific events, stress is needed for a constructive outcome.

It could be one specific thing causing us stress or it could be produced by a build-up of little pressures over time. The latter may make it difficult to identify what is the cause of stress in which makes it harder to explain your worries to others.

Emotional Resilience

It's important to ask how do we collect ourselves after/during a stressful occurrence? Or do we just let it linger for it to get worse. We have to take some sort of action when stress overtakes us. It's about making the initial move and driving the mind-set into a different perspective. Sometimes we may have to force it, depending on the intensity of the pressure/event at hand. I think the answer we are looking for is to be able to control our thoughts and we can do this by enhancing our emotional resilience to stresses.

Emotional resilience is not about being victorious in battle, but its the force to power through the storm while keeping the sail steady. Being resilient is calming the frantic mind during/after facing a stressful experience. It's an intrinsic motivation a natural force built within us, by which we can tackle through all the pitfalls of life. Just like any other characteristics of our internal body, emotional resilience is a quality that has always been there, it develops overtime with experiences.

Emotional resilience is a way of living that is intertwined with self-belief and improved intelligence. If utilised right we can certify ourselves to see adversities which cause stress as temporary, in result developing through the pressures. In simple terms, emotional resilience is a form of insurance which allows us to bounce back from stressful matters. It is not a mere coping mechanism, rather resilience is accepting the stress that has overcome us, even if broken into pieces, the goal is to continue growing mending the pieces, a progression, a shift of mind-set in the positive direction. When being resilient, we can adapt to stress and pressures, but also learn to avoid actions that may lead us to face the same or similar events. Stress will come and go, but the main thing to remember is to withstand, recover and grow.

I leave you with some resilience training in order to develop your emotional resilience resulting in handling stress more effectively:

- Self Awareness: Through self-awareness we can grasp a better understanding of how our feelings add to our actions. It will give us the ability to tune into our emotions, internal stresses and the perception of the situation. Rather than blaming others for our miseries, or looking for ways out, self-awareness gives us the spirit to search for the answers within. Being more tuned within ourselves helps us become capable of handling stresses and being proactive.

- Emotional Control: If we had better levels of emotional self-control we can redirect and manipulate the feelings we possess, withholding anything that comes our way. When we have this control, we are less likely to be overcome by stress. Having the emotional control gives us direction and enables us to think before jumping into conclusions or making assumptions.

- Flexible Thinking: I believe flexible thinking is a vital quality of mental health. It helps and certainly contributes towards the personal success of an individual. It's a great skill which encompasses rationality, optimism and being versatile in situations. Have power in the way you think, be more flexible, it allows us to become more emotional resilient and well-balanced.

- Perseverance: Be persistent in the steps above. Develop and try to grasp your mind in events. The more we train ourselves, the better we can handle our stresses.

Effectively coping and handling stress helps directly towards building emotional resilience. The main purpose of emotional resilience is all about how well we can manage stress and to get through the process effectively.

Ayaan