Heidi Godman is the Executive Editor of the Harvard Health Letter, and Howard E. LeWine, MD is the Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing. Recently, the two paired up to discuss resiliency, and what we can do to promote it.
The duo goes on to describe three strategies to help you find a way forward when you’re feeling stressed, burned out, anxious, or sad.
You can read the full article at https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/life-can-be-challenging-build-your-own-resilience-plan-202406123049, and the three strategies are outlined below:
Shift your thoughts
In stressful situations, try to balance out your thoughts by adopting a broader perspective. “This will help you stop using the emotional part of your brain and start using the thinking part of your brain. For example, if you’re asking for a raise and your brain says you won’t get it, think about the things you’ve done in your job that are worthy of a raise. You’ll slow down the emotional response and shift your mindset from anxious to action.”
Approach what you want
“When you’re anxious, stressed, or burned out, you tend to avoid things that make you uncomfortable. That can make you feel stuck…What you need to do is get out of your comfort zone and take a step toward the thing you want, in spite of fear.”
For example: If you’re afraid of giving a presentation, create a PowerPoint and practice it with colleagues. If you’re having conflict at home, don’t walk away from your partner — schedule time to talk about what’s making you upset.
Align actions with your values
“Stress happens when your actions are not aligned with your values — the things that matter most to you or bring you joy. For example, you might feel stressed if you care most about your family but can’t be there for dinner, or care most about your health but drink a lot.”
Literature suggests that you identify your top three values and make sure your daily actions align with them. If being with family is one of the three, make your time with them a priority — perhaps find a way to join them for a daily meal. If you get joy from a clean house, make daily tidying a priority.