Resilience is a fundamental concept in psychology. It refers to a person's ability to overcome adversities that arise.
When we found out about surprising and moving stories The stories of people who have managed to cope with, and even grow from, great tragedies seem like extraordinary cases. And yet, resilience is something we can all cultivate. It is resilience that allows victims of a disaster or trauma to rebuild their lives and move forward.
Although the characteristics of resilience are well studied, psychologist Jonathan Haidt takes the concept a little further and defines the human being as antifragile. But it doesn't mean that we aren't vulnerable. Rather, uses the term antifragile referring to those entities that are strengthened by stress.
An object fragile breaks easily, like a glass cup, for example. A plastic cup is an object durable; it can withstand many knocks and falls but does not benefit from them. On the other hand, there are objects antifragile, which according to Haidt, are all those who They need obstacles to become stronger and better.
The example Haidt uses is that of the immune system, because if it were kept in a sterile environment during development, and therefore not exposed to any risk, this would weaken the system and render it ineffective. Antifragile organisms can fail, yes, but they can also emerge from experience strengthened.
The idea, in other words, is that human beings need to face challenges and test how they deal with adversity in order to build their character and, ideally, grow.
How do you acquire resilience?
The paths may be very different, but we could say that there are two things that every resilient person has: tolerance and flexibility. Two enormous qualities that also help us deal with anxiety.
According to the American Psychological Association Resilience involves maintaining a degree of flexibility to cope with difficult circumstances and traumatic events. This can be achieved in the following ways:
Afford experience strong emotions and also recognize when you need to avoid them in order to continue functioning.
Take action to address your problems and meet the demands of everyday life, as well as take time to rest and recharge.
Spend time with your loved ones to receive their support and care. Trust in others and trust in yourself.
Here you can read more about the topic, including a list of 10 ways to build resilience.
If you are going through a difficult time and need guidance to move forward, I recommend, as always, that you consider seeking professional help and take some time to rebuild yourself.
