Simple Steps For Building Resilience

And because a lot of folks are feeling rather hopeless and exhausted these days , and because there's this belief that resilience is about toughing it out or staying strong , I wanted to offer some insight and creative self-care tools that can help you build resilience through simplicity and softness over time . My name is Crystal McLean .

This is Creative Self-Care , and together we're exploring new ways towards wellness so we can live healthy , empowered lives individually and collectively . If you appreciate what I'm doing here at CMC , want to support my work and gain a more personal experience , consider joining my friends at Patreon To learn more about how we're making a positive impact .

You can visit crystalmcleancreativecom . All right , let's get to it . So currently it feels like our resilience is being tested . Every single time we turn on the TV or tune into social media , we are met with really big shit and , honestly , it's wearing us down and , as much as I hate to admit it , those forms of media are actually designed to do just that .

Our exhaustion and overwhelm are what keep capitalism and corruption alive , and you need to know that you are not weak for falling into these digital traps , because behind their messages are very real actions that are changing our world , putting many of us in very real danger , and that's fucking scary .

So I want you to know that your feelings are absolutely real and valid . That said , you deserve to be able to move through these feelings and move through these times with more confidence , proactiveness and resilience . So , in light of all of this doom and gloom , there's good news Resilience can be created from the qualities and the strengths you already have .

So let's take a look at how stress affects resilience and learn some ways we can bounce back stronger . Okay , so something crucial for you to understand is that your nervous system is the command center for everything you experience . It's constantly processing information , managing emotions and responding to challenges .

It's really responding to everything and , while it's built to handle short bursts of stress , chronic stress can negatively impact your mental , emotional and physical well-being , and this is what I'd like to cue in the news and social media . Constantly checking news updates and scrolling social media is not making you more informed .

It's overwhelming your system with stress . Your brain and body respond to each concerning headline or distressing post as a new threat triggering small bursts of cortisol .

If you are doing this all day , every day , you're essentially marinating your brain and your body in stress chemicals , which is going to lead to things like cognitive decline , immune system dysfunction , elevated blood pressure , poor digestion , difficulties with sleep , anxiety , irritation , depression , muscle tension . You get the idea .

While staying reasonably informed is super important . Please consider this . After a certain point , more information doesn't lead to better understanding . It just depletes your resilience reserves . So my advice is to choose one or two trusted news sources and set specific times to check them , preferably not as soon as you wake up .

Your nervous system will thank you All right , so you're going to reel in your social media and your news consumption . Now , with all of this new free time , let's talk about what you can do to support your mind , body and mother , love and soul , so you can start building your resilience . We're going to start by cultivating a resilient mindset .

There's some powerful practices that actually change how your brain responds to stress . You've heard of these things before and they might seem too simple to work , but trust me , they really do . All right . So the first one don't come at me , hear me out . It's a gratitude and positivity practice .

This is not about gaslighting yourself and believing everything's okay or engaging in toxic positivity . This is about creating new neural pathways that shift your brain from being frozen in fear to being able to see solutions and possibilities .

When you actively notice the good stuff or find things to be grateful for , you are retraining your brain's negativity bias , which is our natural tendency to focus on threats . This mindset shift is the first step to building resilience . Being resilient means you're able to shift , cope , adapt , progress , move forward when life doesn't turn out as you'd hoped .

Start looking for things to be grateful for , start finding things that are positive in your life and start being proactive with your resilience . Number two self-validation . When you acknowledge your feelings as real and valid and clearly identify them , you reduce the fight or flight response in your body .

This is gonna lower cortisol and help your nervous system to settle . It's kind of like telling your body's alarm system I hear you and we are handling this . Hold on , I got you Real . Things are happening in the world , so what you're feeling is also real and valid .

Welcome those feelings , get curious about them , process them , ask them what they need and allow them to move through you instead of ignoring them , suppressing them or holding onto them . The third mindset shift is using the friend perspective .

Speaking to yourself with compassion is going to activate your sympathetic nervous system , which is your body's rest and repair mode . This is why harsh self-criticism makes us feel worse . It's triggering more stress hormones , which inhibits our ability to think rationally . Self-kindness helps us think more clearly and cope better .

Start treating yourself like you're your own best friend , because you really ought to be anyway . And the fourth thing we can do to shift our mindset is to start controlling small things . Taking any positive action , no matter how tiny , is going to release dopamine , which is a feel-good chemical linked to our reward system .

This is going to help break the paralysis that stress can cause and reminds you that you are not helpless . You are capable of responding . So , with that said , let's move on to some other things that you have control over will also help build resilience and are good for your body . Number one fuel your fascinating meat machine .

You know how you have to fill up the car when the tank runs low . Well , your body is no different , except you can't put Pepsi in your car . I mean , really , you probably shouldn't put Pepsi in your body . But fuck it , man . You get to consume whatever you want .

That said , the food that you eat literally becomes the building blocks for your brain chemicals that regulate mood , energy and stress responses . And I know there can be a lot of pressure and shame around what we eat , not to mention limited accessibility to nutritious foods .

But when you can try to sneak in some balanced nutrition from all of the food groups Leafy greens , healthy fats , fruit , veggies , grains , not to mention hydration these things are going to make a big difference in how your brain functions . The second way you can build resilience with your body is by using movement as medicine , something that's really cool .

When you move your body , you're not just building muscle or burning calories or any other bullshit we get caught up on . You're actually firing up your feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters that help regulate stress , improve cognitive function and boost your mood . And the best part is you don't need to run a fucking marathon .

You don't have to do high-intensity interval training . You can just dance in your kitchen , stretch while you're streaming a movie or take a walk around the block . Just find ways to move that feel good for you , all right . The third thing we can do for our body and building resilience is sleep .

Sleep is your resilience superpower and I know that in our hustle culture and with elevated stress levels , sleep can feel like an impossible luxury . If this is you , I see you . I'll leave a link to my post about rest and how you can get better sleep .

But know this while you are sleeping , your brain is literally processing emotions , eliminating toxins , filing away memories and recharging your resilience battery . Get some sleep or , at the very least , prioritize your rest . All right , let's move along to some ways we can build resilience while also caring for the soul . First thing live with purpose .

Having a sense of purpose isn't about having big goals . It's about knowing what matters to you , inviting the things that bring you pleasure and living in alignment with your values . When you lead your life from your heart , it helps you navigate through tough times and makes the journey more meaningful .

Figure out what matters to you , discover what lights up your soul and align that with your everyday life . The second thing you can do is work on making connections and building community . Something pretty fascinating is our brains are literally wired for connection .

When we interact with safe , supportive people , our bodies release oxytocin , which is often called the bonding hormone , which not only helps us to feel better , but it actually reduces the impact stress has on our health and well-being . That means social connection is biological protection against stress and dysfunction .

What's double cool is that when you show up with others , you are helping them to make the same impact on their health and well-being . Spend time with your friends , join a social justice group , sign up for a class Volunteer . Look for the people who make you feel seen , heard and understood .

All right , my friend , remember . Building resilience is not about becoming invincible . It's about learning how to take care of ourselves so we can handle life's challenges with more grace , strength and confidence . Every single small step you take matters , and you're not in this alone .

I'm right here with you , along with millions of other people who are facing the same challenges . If you'd like , I've created a daily resilience reminder checklist . You can find this download in today's Patreon perks , along with a big list of values and a feelings chart , so you can start building your own resilience .

I love you , I appreciate you and I'm so proud of you for showing up today and working on building your resilience . I'll see you soon .