How Resilience Helps You Deal with Life ’s Challenges

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung When life gets complicated and messy, sometimes it’s easier to give up, make excuses about not having a choice, or cast aside aspirations and goals. After all, human behavior is unpredictable, especially when factoring in unexpected obstacles, disappointments, tragedies, pain and misfortune. Having the strength and vision to cultivate resilience, on the other hand, helps make life not only more interesting, but much more satisfying as well. I’d hazard to say I know something about building resilience, having endured more than a few rather extraordinary experiences that could just as well have caused me to fall into hopelessness and despair. Losing a parent and trying to find a reason to live. Undoubtedly the biggest tragedy I went through happened when I had just turned 13. My father died from a massive heart attack, perishing within minutes while at work at his factory job. The light of my life, the perpetual optimist, a man who lived life to the fullest despite being told when he was a boy that he wouldn’t live past his 20s, my father taught me that life is what you make it, not what happens to you. Losing him at such a vulnerable stage in my life did set in motion a protracted period of grief. I felt lost, even wondered if I somehow contributed to his demise. I consoled myself with memories of how robustly he attacked life and how he motivated me to do the same. Just the week before ...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Depression Happiness Motivation and Inspiration Personal Stories Relaxation and Meditation Spirituality family support mental health and wellness Optimism Positive Psychology Resilience Self Care self-compassion Source Type: news