In this series on resiliency we’ve discussed what resiliency is, why it is important for bullying prevention, and how you can develop this crucial skill in your population. The last question is why should you go through the time and effort in the first place. The reality is that learning how to be resilient will benefit your students in various ways. All of these benefits will contribute to their social and emotional well-being, as well as helping to prevent incidents of bullying. In this post we discuss a few of the benefits that your participants will gain from becoming more resilient.
Improved Mood
Becoming more resilient greatly enhances one’s general mood. When someone is resilient, they don’t let the world drag them down. They handle failure and disappointment in a healthy way. They don’t waste time on negative emotions or wallow in self-pity. Instead, they think positively, learn from the situation, and get up and try again.
Mood greatly impacts how one feels. Mood can even influence how someone thinks and acts. Being in a good mood can improve cognitive function and problem solving skills. It can also improves decision making. Having a good mood improves how someone navigates their day and increases their productivity.
Stronger Immune System
Becoming more resilient is also beneficial for one’s health. Research shows that positive emotions are associated with a healthy immune system, while negative emotions are associated with weaker immune function. Negative emotions can lead to increased production of stress hormones and a greater incidence of illnesses. How someone habitually feels is closely related to how vigorously they can resist illness. Studies of cancer patients have shown lower levels of immune cells in depressed patients. Improved resiliency can help one to push through negative emotions and thereby improve their overall immune function.
Emotional Stability
People who are more resilient are more emotionally stable. With a high level of resiliency little setbacks are not the end of the world. There are many benefits of being able to maintain and control emotions. Here are some other ways that resiliency helps to increase emotional stability.
- Better concentration.
- Efficiency in handling daily life.
- A feeling of inner strength and power.
- Increased patience, tolerance and tact.
- Freedom from stress, anxiety and worry.
- A feeling of inner contentment.
- Falling asleep easily and sleeping soundly.
Moving On With Life
Resilient people do not let the past hold them back. They are able to bounce back from the setbacks they face and move on with their lives. Resilient people continue to pursue and achieve their goals even in the face of obstacles. Obstacles and disappointments will always happen in life, but the resilient person is able to handle them and move on, rather than becoming paralyzed by them. The ability to move on with in life is important for personal growth and development. Developing resiliency is an important step to attaining this skill.
Feeling Happy and Fulfilled
Resiliency also leads to happiness and fulfillment in life. Happiness doesn’t just make life more enjoyable, it can actually help manage stress and enable one to reach their full potential. According to a new study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, people who seed their lives with frequent moments of positive emotions increase their resiliency when challenges occur. Being happy and fulfilled is the most important benefit of resiliency. Improving resilience and happiness changes one’s entire outlook on life. Here are just some of the benefits of feeling happy and fulfilled:
- Being more compassionate
- Feeling physically healthy
- Increased creativity
- Increased energy
- Appearing more attractive to other people
- Positive thinking
- Increased self-confidence
Thanks for tuning in for the last post in our series. Like this series on resiliency? Stay tuned for future series on our blog! If you would like to see how our Bullying Prevention program assess and teaches resiliency click the free trial link below.
