There are only a few days left of the year and people are starting to think about what they want to tackle in 2020. Lets be honest, most of us will make resolutions to eat a healthier diet or to go to the gym more often. But what about improving our coping skills? Researchers have identified three key skills for “growing from adversity, for bouncing back from traumatic experiences,” and for making it through the day:
- Willingness to engage with the problem
- Connecting with others
- Knowing how to calm oneself when experiencing anxiety
Today, we will dig deeper into the third bullet point and look at some ways we can practice our calming skills. When we experience anxiety, our heart rate goes up, our breathing becomes rapid, and sometimes we feel physically and emotionally tired. For the New Year, we are challenging everyone to practice their calming skills! Take a moment to think about what destresses you and jot your ideas down on a piece of paper (you can do this with your kids as well!). To get started, here are some ideas to incorporate and practice calming skills into your daily routine:
- Give yourself mini “timeouts” to give yourself a moment of calm and to clear your head (can be a moment of prayer, meditation, or yoga).
- If you need to physically let go of stress, go for a walk or a jog around the park or at the gym.
- Join an art class or take up a hobby that you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to do it. It is important to allow yourself some time explore your creativity.
Source: https://psychcentral.com/lib/new-years-resolutions-to-build-your-resiliency/
OKPTA Cultivate 