My friend Lynne Cockrum-Murphy, author of Living Hope: Steps to Leaving Suffering Behind, has nine great ideas about how you can become more resilient.
 Through Meaning and Purpose:
  • Keep a personal journal. Write a personal mission statement
  • Write out personal goals every month; future oriented planning helps
  • Build your goal-attaining skills, seek help with it and on the skills or areas you need
  • Act on your curiosity, your educational aspirations. Be persistent.
Through Altruism:
  • Help others, engage in kindness activities
  • Practice empathy and compassion
  • Use acceptance and tolerance strategies.
Develop Optimism and Hope:
  • Make a daily gratitude list
  • Practice positive self-talk. Visualize what you want
  • Expect positive results from your efforts, and from the world
  • Recognize your areas of competence in work, learning, athletics and friendship
  • Use your problem solving skills, get help, go to library and research it.
Get Organized:
  • Allow the role of rituals to bring you comfort
  • Organize your home, one area, or one room at a time
  • Have a schedule with family and loved ones.
 Learn What Others Know:
  • Read biographies and self help books
  • Listen to C.D’s and DVD’s to hear how to live to create the life you want
  • Talk to people who have what you want –ask them about themselves.
  • #Seek out spiritual teachers, guides for growth.
Reach Out:
  • Embrace your extended family
  • Reach out to larger community by having work and community ties
  • Seek those who nurture a sense of meaning and identity
  • Connect by having dinner together, seeing movies and traveling together.
Experience Civic Engagement:
  • Engage with others (classmates, family and community): run, walk, build, aid
  • Do empowering activities such as helping others. Volunteer.
Build Resilience with your Culture:
  • Allow the role of ceremonies to bring you comfort
  • Connect to your cultural community: picnic, dance, celebrate.
  • Create Meaning and Purpose in Life:
    • Focus on what you believe you can control
    • Find value and/or your inner purpose from your own difficulties
    • Improve peer relationships, willingness to seek help and/or see a counselor
    • Believe in yourself, be persistent
    • Be a gift to others
    • Know that you are loved!
Living Hope: Steps to Leaving Suffering Behind

Living Hope: Steps to Leaving Suffering Behind