Whether you’re building a new sober life or trying to redefine your purpose in recovery, having resilience is the backbone of your efforts. It allows you to bounce back from setbacks and also take decisive action in the face of adversity. Here are some ways you can cultivate more resilience, stay healthy, and reach your goals more effectively.
How Resilience Benefits You
Resilience helps drive us to adapt, learn, and grow stronger, turning challenges into opportunities for progress. When we’re faced with obstacles, resilience pushes us to keep moving, make adjustments, and stay committed to what’s important to us. It’s the catalyst for turning defeat into determination, ensuring that no matter how hard we fall, we rise even stronger. That’s not to say we want to fall—but trusting that we know how to maneuver through and beyond adversity reinforces our sense of self.
The American Psychology Association (APA) indicates that “a number of factors contribute to how well people adapt to adversities, including the ways in which individuals view and engage with the world, the availability and quality of social resources, and specific coping strategies.”
When you develop better resilience, you’re able to use this ability to help you handle all aspects of life, from financial problems and employment difficulties to relationship challenges and the loss of someone you love. Resilience also strengthens your footing for recovery so you can manage triggers more effectively and avoid relapse.
What’s even better is that the APA states that “psychological research demonstrates that the resources and skills associated with resilience can be cultivated and practiced.”
First, Remove Key Barriers to Develop Better Resilience
In addiction rehabilitation, people frequently learn the root causes of their substance or alcohol use disorder. It’s rarely one thing: a genetic predisposition, environmental factors, adverse childhood experiences, mental and emotional health issues—these and other factors not only contribute to addiction but also erode the framework of resilience.
The nonprofit mental health organization Mind outlines additional challenges to resilience, which we provide verbatim:
- Experiencing discrimination and hate, including racism, homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia
- Living far away from family or friends, or having difficult relationships with them
- Having a long-term physical health condition
- Experiencing poverty and money worries, including debt or problems with benefits
- Living in an area with poor access to services like healthcare, public transport, and green spaces
- Lacking safety and protection, such as living in areas with poor policing
- Being a single parent
- Being a carer
- Having poor-quality housing
- Experiencing loneliness
However, the organization adds that for many people facing these barriers, it’s not their fault, “And it is not up to you to remove these barriers yourself.” To help reduce stress and clear the way for building resilience, it suggests seeking support through various resources.
For example:
- To reduce the impact of discrimination, find a support group that deals specifically with what you’re facing, such as Georgia Unites and the ACLU of Georgia.
- If you have challenging financial issues, look into government programs that help provide a bridge to better security and education for debt relief.
- As a parent, especially one in recovery, reach out to other people who understand what you’re going through and who can offer additional resources for support.
Another aspect you’ll learn about resilience is the difference between being reactive and proactive. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains: “Being reactive means waiting until some situation occurs and then responding to it. Being proactive means anticipating, planning, and confronting problems before they reach crisis points (when you must act rapidly). Being proactive puts you in control of the situation.” By choosing to remove what’s causing you stress and aggravation, you’re expanding your power of resilience.
Additional Tips for Building Resilience
The APA states that “resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary.” You’re fully capable of improving your skills to navigate life more effectively. It recommends focusing on “four core components—connection, wellness, healthy thinking, and meaning.” Here’s how.
- Connection. Whether through a recovery peer support group, a faith-based organization, a hobby club, or one-on-one relations, choose to surround yourself with “trustworthy and compassionate individuals who validate your feelings, which will support the skill of resilience.”
- Wellness. Taking care of yourself is one of the best ways to build better resilience. In addition to focusing on sleep, exercise, and eating whole foods, think also about avoiding compromising influences and ways to cope with stress more effectively.
- Healthy thinking. “if you feel overwhelmed by a challenge, remind yourself that what happened to you isn’t an indicator of how your future will go, and that you’re not helpless,” the APA states. “You may not be able to change a highly stressful event, but you can change how you interpret and respond to it.” Find different ways to cultivate more positivity, such as gratitude exercises and reducing negative self-talk.
- Meaning. Volunteering, being proactive, finding the right resources for your goals, and focusing on your purpose all add to your feelings of self-worth. You can choose to explore more of these concepts with a qualified therapist.
Learn more from these additional stories about resilience in recovery.
Willingway: Your Source for Growth
At Willingway’s Georgia and Florida addiction rehabilitation locations, our board-certified professionals provide grounded support to help you move forward in life. Many of our previous clients share success stories that demonstrate not only how to practice resilience skills but also their power to help you transform your life. If you have yet to find this type of progressive treatment approach, talk to a member of our admissions team today to learn what we can do for you.