Three Ways to Build Your Personal Resilience
Planners are familiar with the concept of community resilience — the ability for a community to prepare for, withstand, or recover from a disaster. But what does it mean to be personally resilient?
Psychologist Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke, the National Planning Conference (NPC25) opening keynote speaker, defines it as:
"Resilience is the capacity to internally manage the challenging thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that arise as a consequence of stress at any level."
Meditate, Laugh, Breathe — Resilience Through Mindfulness
The following are three approaches you can take to help build your personal resilience.
1. Meditate
Meditation offers significant health benefits, including reducing stress, facilitating emotional balance, controlling anxiety, increasing focus, and helping to clear the mind.
An MRI of a brain after a novice meditates, showing signs of pain disappearing. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (On Being)
Not sure where to get started? The following apps were recommended by Dr. Janke during her keynote address:
Hear more from Dr. Janke on personal resilience in this special episode of the APA Podcast.
2. Laugh to Relieve Stress
Laughter is the best medicine. According to the Mayo Clinic, "When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body."
At an Association Forum session, "Burnout, Resilience, and the Health Benefits of Laughter," Gonzo Schexnayder, CAE, UXMC, shared eight tips for avoiding burnout and the importance of self-care. One of his tips? "Find opportunities to laugh, giggle, chuckle, and guffaw," he says. Schexnayder even led attendees through a practice of laughing.
There are many health benefits attributed to laughter.
Some health benefits of laughter. Image: Gwens Graphic Studio/iStock/Getty Images Plus. Illustration created by Catherine Bixler.
To start, try laughing for 15 minutes every day. Watch a funny video, listen to a podcast, or try laughter yoga (yes, it is a thing). When all else fails, even just smiling can have positive health benefits.
3. Practice Box Breathing
Rapid, shallow breathing can make you feel more anxious. By changing the depth and cadence of your breath, you can help manage your response to stress by triggering a relaxation response, activating your parasympathetic nervous system.
Box breathing, a four-part exercise, can help calm the mind and reduce stress. This type of breathwork is even practiced by Navy SEALs.
To practice box breathing, imagine creating a box with four sides: inhale to a count of four or five, pause for a count of four or five, exhale to a count of four or five, then pause for a count of four to five. Please note: Deep breathing exercises might not be suitable for everyone, so be sure to confirm with your care provider first.
Additional Resources
If you are interested in expanding your personal resilience, the following may be of interest:
"Well-Being at Work: Finding a Job that Values Mental Health," APA blog
"How Planners Can Win The Battle With Imposter Syndrome," Planning
"Planning, Self-Care, and the Pursuit of Leadership," Planning
Top image: E+ Adene Sanchez
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