How can I build resilience through mindfulness?
Building resilience through mindfulness involves cultivating an awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in a non-judgmental way.
Read on to find out what mindfulness is, what resilience is, and how to practice mindfulness.
First, let’s explore resilience. At its most basic, resilience is the ability to adapt and bounce back in the face of adversity, stress, or change. It embodies the capacity to recover from difficulties, keep a positive outlook, and continue progressing, moving forward and growing — despite challenges.
This doesn’t mean that you have to be strong all the time. Or that you don’t sometimes suffer set backs or need time and space to reset or rest. Or that you don’t get upset, cry, or go through periods of feeling rubbish.
It’s more that resilient people have tools and approaches to help them manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours in a way that aligns with their values during difficult times. They have developed strategies to calm their emotions and nervous systems when they feel triggered.
At its core, resilience is about psychological and emotional flexibility — not strength. This isn’t about mindlessly driving through, whatever is going on in your life. All that lies down that road is burnout and avoidance.
Psychological and emotional flexibility come from knowing that things are difficult, seeking help and support, and putting the work in to develop healthy coping tools. AND resting. In my view, resting and giving space to feel your feelings is one of the most important tools you have to develop resilience.
It involves not just enduring hardships but also learning from them. And using that insight and self-knowledge to make tiny bits of progress toward your goals. Being a resilient person is enhanced by having supportive relationships, a sense of purpose, overall optimism (even if sometimes you don’t feel optimistic at all), and having the tools to be able to self-regulate.
In a therapeutic context, one of the first stages of therapy is to build resilience to enhance your ability to cope with challenges like trauma and chronic anxiety. We call this stabilisation.
Through psychoeducation, you develop a deeper understanding of the interplay between the mind and body. Your therapist will teach you techniques to strengthen your resilience. And through that, enable you to navigate life's challenges and process difficult events more effectively.
“Resting and giving space to feel your feelings is one of the most important tools we have to develop resilience. ”
Mindfulness is the practice of lightly holding a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surroundings. It involves observing these experiences without judgement, allowing you to recognise and accept your thoughts and emotions as they arise.
Rooted in ancient Buddhist traditions, mindfulness has been adapted in modern psychology as a therapeutic tool to promote mental wellbeing. It encourages you to focus on the present, which helps to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depressive sensations.
Practising mindfulness can involve a range of techniques, including meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindful movement. These practices enhance your ability to remain grounded in the present, thereby facilitating a compassionate relationship with yourself and improving emotional regulation.
Mindfulness serves as a bridge between the thinking mind and the feeling body, bringing about holistic health and resilience.
Here are some strategies to enhance your resilience using mindfulness practices:
Practice Regular Mindfulness Meditations: Set aside time each day to sit quietly and focus on your breath or body sensations. This practice helps to centre your mind and brings a sense of calm. When practiced regularly, meditation helps you to respond to stressors more effectively.
Cultivate Self-Compassion: Mindfulness encourages a gentle awareness of your experiences. Practising self-compassion allows you to acknowledge your struggles without harsh judgement, quietening the inner critic. This helps you process difficult experiences with a different perspective.
Incorporate Mindful Movement: Engage in activities such as yoga, tai chi, or even mindful walking or nature bathing. These practices connect the mind and body, helping to release tension and build physical resilience, which supports emotional wellbeing.
Develop Emotional Awareness: Mindfulness strengthens your ability to recognise and understand your emotions. Paradoxically, leaning into your emotional experiences instead of avoiding them can prevent you from becoming overwhelmed by feelings, allowing for healthier responses to stress.
Create a Routine: Establish a mindful routine that includes periods of reflection and gratitude. Recognising positive aspects of your life regularly can increase the likelihood of a resilient mindset, even amidst challenges.
Manage Stress Responses: Mindfulness helps identify your stress triggers and habitual reactions. By observing these patterns, you can learn to pause and choose more constructive responses, building resilience over time.
Stay Present: Focus on the present moment rather than ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. This practice reduces anxiety and enhances your ability to tackle current challenges more easily.
Connect with Nature: Spending time immersed in nature can enhance mindfulness and resilience. Nature promotes a sense of peace and grounding, helping to refresh your perspective and rejuvenate your spirit.
You can integration one or two mindfulness practices into your life, choosing what feels good to your body and mind at the time. By doing this, you can cultivate greater resilience, empowering you to navigate life’s ups and downs with greater ease and confidence. And who doesn’t want that!?
Don’t be put off if you find routine challenging, or you still experience emotions. This is what our body is designed to do, and shows that it is working well. It is actually just that we are changing our relationship to our struggles, challenges and emotions, and learning to live with them in harmony.
If you’d like to work with me one to one, have a look at my psychotherapy or coaching pages for more information on how I work.
