Nantucket, a beautiful, 14-mile-long island off the coast of Massachusetts, has a 40-point resiliency plan to help withstand the buffeting seas surrounding it as climate change takes a toll. Perhaps we can all benefit from creating individual resilience plans to help handle the big and small issues that erode our sense of well-being. But what is resilience and how do you cultivate it?
What is resilience?
Resilience is a psychological response that helps you adapt to life's difficulties and seek a path forward through challenges.
"It's a flexible mindset that helps you adapt, think critically, and stay focused on your values and what matters most," says Luana Marques, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
While everyone has the ability to be resilient, your capacity for resilience can take a beating over time from chronic stress, perhaps from financial instability or staying in a job you dislike. The longer you're in that situation, the harder it becomes to cope with it.