Yesterday was the National Get Up Day, an opportunity to share inspiring stories of people who have encountered great odds and didn’t give up, eventually conquering them.

It’s a reminder that all of us will have to go through different setbacks, and we must pick ourselves up after we have fallen and soldier on! As long as there is breath in us, there is hope as well.

Reducing the impact of stress

No one lives practically problem-free, so we must toughen our defenses to difficulties through developing emotional resilience – the ability to adapt and bounce back from the end of a marriage, death of a loved one, diseases or injuries, job loss, or whatever it is that’s causing you sleepless nights.

Resilience is the ability to deal with adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health issues, work problems or financial difficulties. A resilient person knows how to pick himself up and rise above challenges.

Here are ways you can build emotional resilience:

1. Make lifestyle changes. Be straightforward and assertive in your dealings with other people. Know your limits and be prepared to say “No” if you feel you’re being shortchanged or you just don’t have enough to accommodate them. Whenever the pressure from your duties and responsibilities take its toll, engage in an activity or hobby where you can be completely removed from the environment that’s causing your stress and do something that’s entirely different.
2. Be physically fit and active. Being physically healthy makes you better able to cope with the mental demands of stress. So sleep well, eat healthily, don’t stay up late and get moving!
3. Love yourself. Reward yourself for each achievement, even small ones as it mentally prepares you to take on more difficult goals. Take regular breaks and go on holiday from time to time to refresh your perspective on things. Resolve conflicts, as much as you can to take off this added weight off your emotions, and remind yourself that it’s ok to fail sometimes, as failures can be a learning experience that will propel you to success.
4. Tap into your support network. “No man is an island” may be a cliché, but it definitely has a lot of wisdom behind it. Any problem or task always feels lighter when you feel you have other people’s support to count on. They can be from your friends and family, spouse, work colleagues and bosses, or offline and online communities of peers with similar interests or are going through the same tough phase as you.

A helping hand

Not only should we teach this value to ourselves, we must also lend a hand to others who might be going through a tough time in their lives and are tempted to give up.

You’ve already known how it feels to be down in the dumps, don’t let another person go there.

Offer your support whenever and however you can. It can be in the form of money, resources you can share, or simply time to listen and cheer them up.

Let people know someone cares and make yourself happy as well! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said,

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