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Last week we discovered the signs to look out for when we are at risk of a set back or a breakdown. This week we look at what to do to reduce the severity of either a set back or a breakdown and how we can begin building up our Resilience pro-actively.

What to do to if you are showing any of the signs listed in last Monday’s series post and how to prevent things getting worse

If you are or do experience any of the risky signs that you are headed for a breakdown I cannot emphasize enough how vital it is that you seek professional help by both going to your doctor and a therapist. Please go to the UKCP (UK residents) or APA (American residents) sites which have ‘search for a therapist’ facilities on both websites. If for whatever reason you cannot seek professional help in the form of therapy (and please do absolutely everything you can to make it possible) I would recommend visiting your doctor and potentially getting him or her to sign you off work for stress.

If you are suffering from anxiety, depression or stress to whatever degree I would also encourage you to look through my best resources page which is packed with excellent CBT based free online courses – all of which are recommended by top therapists. Likewise, my  further reading page has some amazingly good CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) based books which are recommended by top therapists and will help you on your journey to recovery more than you could imagine.

Similarly, if you are suffering with stress I would also highly recommend reading my CBT based stress management article titled ‘Tis’ The Season to be Stressed; How to Leave Stress Behind You for Good’ which holds true no matter what time of year and could substantially reduce your stress levels. It explains exactly what to do when you feel overwhelmed and goes into detail as to how to reduce your demands and increase your resources which should result in a considerable reduction in stress.

But how can we develop greater resilience as a preventative measure against future upsets? In the passages below I have outlined the tools for resilience that I discovered in therapy and have also added several additional tools and beliefs that I have adopted since beginning my own personal development journey. All of the tools helped me develop high levels of resilience and I am positive they will help your resilience soar to new heights so you can quickly get back on track when hard times hit.

Be In The Driving Seat

This was one of the hardest things for me to do as for many years I felt like a victim and was stuck in a helpless mentality however once I accepted that I was in control of my life I felt completely liberated. Realizing that you are in the driving seat of your life has a profound impact upon how you interact with the world. The decisions you make and the actions you take can and will change the conditions of your life, you just need to be ready to take charge.

Maintain A Positive Outlook

Do everything you can to maintain a Positive Outlook. For years I was so negative that it permeated how I viewed everything – I had to make a conscious effort to retrain my brain to see the positive. I did this by reading positive picture quotes every day, by watching inspirational TED videos, reading personal development articles and imagining my future with hope and excitement. For more on the how to adopt a positive outlook please read my article titled ‘How to Avoid a Negative Downward Spiral by Using the Power of Positivity’.

Similarly, it is critical that in the midst of difficulty you realize it is only temporary and that things will get better.

Stay tuned – next week we will explore more behaviors and beliefs that serve to boost resilience.

Have you always believed you’re in control of your life? Do you have a positive outlook? How did you foster one? Would you like to be more positive? Please share your thoughts in the comments below to gain encouragement, insight and support from our community, we’d love to hear from you.