Thrive RN

Emotional resiliency

Resilience versus resolution: thoughts on how emotional resilience affects mental health.

As December rolls around,I roll my eyes. I resolve to do better, be better. What’s the difference between December 31 and January 1? Our behavior on this system is dictated by a calendar and the intention is there, but what happens when the motivation wanes? I don’t mean to sound cynical; I am all for supporting self improvement including bettering mind, body, and soul. But short term change, such we New Year’s resolutions, are often ineffective for the real change you or I might be looking for. There’s no magic overnight fix.

Take up space and take advantage of the short time you have on this earth. But when trauma and adversity wound us, it can also be difficult to have resolve. Resolve is the firm determination to do something, like a ship embarking out to sea towards the future. Many things out in the open ocean can yank those sails down and stop that ship in its tracks. So how do we keep our ship from sinking? Let’s take a look at how emotional resiliency can help you with this to face krakens, whirlpools, and the pirates of life.

Resilience, according to the APA, (2022) is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands. Emotional resilience has been studied as a factor influencing the longevity of depression, and much of the research I came across found that people suffering from depression, who developed some sort of resilience or grit, were more likely to be adept at navigating difficult situations.

Resolutions focus on the future, I.e.: I resolve to be healthier. I will go to the gym more, then I’ll be better. Resilience doesn’t ask us to change anything about ourselves, and do we really need to? Our emotional response is then present driven. Resilience, i.e.: I have been sick for a long time, and going to the gym again is a huge accomplishment for me. I am proud of myself. Instead of feeding into the idea that we need to change something about ourselves, developing emotional resilience is a wave of self compassion that washes away doubt from a sinking ship.