It’s Never Too Late to Build Resilience

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ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — In his best-selling book, The Resilience Advantage, the late doctor Al Siebert wrote that highly resilient people are flexible, adapt to new circumstances quickly, and thrive on constant change.

What does it mean to be resilient?

“Resilience is facing challenges but bouncing back,” said Kristin Anderson Moore, Senior Scholar at Child Trends and Director of Youth Development.

Author Jessie Sholls described several characteristics of resilient adults.  First, they practice positivity. Resilient people have losses and frustrations, but they also learn to find the silver lining. And researcher Kristin Anderson Moore said there are other benefits:

“Researchers have looked at the brain and found that the brain is affected by deep trauma. But there is room for improvement people can recover, people can be resilient.”

They also live to learn. They look at the problem and ask themselves what is it trying to teach me?  Resilient people may live a life of service to others. Kindness can boost serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and well-being.  And they take care of themselves physically. In a study published by the national institutes of health, a significant relationship was found between mental resilience, immune functioning and health. Reminding you that it’s never too late to bounce back!

Another key to resilience is laughter. The mayo clinic reports that not only does it lighten your load mentally, it stimulates circulation, aids muscle relaxation, and increases the release of endorphins.

Contributors to this news report include: Hayley Hudson, Katie Coronado, Producers; Jesse Draus, Videographer and Editor.

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