Getting Through Life’s Trials

Survivors of tough times know how to cope. It’s something you can learn, too.

A man joined a weight management program. His doctor warned him to change his lifestyle, so he fully intended to lose weight, exercise more and stop smoking. He paid for a 12-week weight management program and began to heed the advice of his doctor and the health professionals managing his program.

Two weeks into the program, he was called out of town on business, spent a week eating out, staying up late and working long hours. After returning home, he left the program.

A woman recently joined the same weight management program. She was ready for change, wanted to start the New Year on a healthy note and made the decision to join the program. She was a very motivated, patient and caring working parent with a kindergartner, commuting more than an hour every day to work, and had a mom with health issues.

In the first two weeks of our program, she kept her food diary, began to work out regularly and focused on making good eating choices. Then, over the course of the next two weeks, her mom had a heart attack and she spent 8-14 hours a day at the hospital, while continuing the same hour commute daily.

Despite the challenges, she continued filling out her food diary and making good food choices. While she did not exercise as much, she did something when she could. She also promised that she was not going to give up and would stick with her program. After receiving some ideas on how to sustain her energy while she was caring for her mom, she continued to be motivated.

What was the difference between this woman and the guy who dropped out of his program? The woman is what researchers call “resilient” – someone who is able to rebound from whatever difficulty life brings. There are several traits most resilient people share:

· They take responsibility for their actions. If they make a mistake, they will own up to it and not blame others.
· They can self-examine using their insight. They know how to take the time to ask, “How can I make this better?” or “What can I learn from this situation?”
· They focus. All their actions reflect their values and purpose.
· They have meaningful connections. Resilient people surround themselves with a strong support network of family, friends and co-workers.
· They are organized. They spend most of their time keeping up with routine tasks and preventive measures, which leaves little time for last-minute stressors.
· They know how to renew their energy daily. Resilient people know how to balance their work and life by taking care of their bodies and spending quality time with those they love.

If you can practice these traits often, you become more resilient. When life throws a curveball, you are ready.

If you need help in this area, sign up for the personal resilience workshop on Feb. 22. Call the Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing at (772) 223-2838 for more details.

--Lani Kee
Manager, Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing