Resilience

Resilience is defined by psychology, as a capacity that allows people to overcome difficult situations . This is a characteristic that only a small part of the world’s population possesses. The development of this faculty brings benefits, since it is a psychological tool for recovery and strength.

There are different ways in which the use of this power is revealed. According to the circumstances, and also to the resilience that each person possesses, different types are described. Likewise, educational, social and affective aspects are taken into account , these influence their development.

What is resilience? 

It is defined as a capacity of people who manage to overcome difficult situations, and adaptability to any unexpected circumstance is also described. In other words, this is an aptitude that anyone adopts, which provides them with the necessary psychological aids to overcome adversity .

Etymologically this word comes from a Latin term which was “resilio”, it was used to refer to the action of jumping or bouncing. From the point of view of psychology, this attitude brings benefits because it allows you to avoid suffering from stress. In addition, it is a characteristic of people who maintain a positive mindset .

Resilient people recognize that any situation serves as an experience, and they also consider that they learn from mistakes. This faculty allows turning negative situations into examples of overcoming, it could be said that resilience is a virtue . Therefore, some synonyms used in relation to this term are resistance and strength.

It is directly connected with the idea of ​​survival , therefore there are several concepts related to the same term. Characteristics such as the ability to self-organize and mental toughness are shared. They are qualities that allow you to cope with changes and transformations.

The word resilience originally began to be used within the engineering field. It is used to refer to the magnitude of a certain amount of energy , it is absorbed by a material. This happens the moment an impact occurs, causing it to break.

It is also a term used in ecology to refer to communities that must overcome certain changes. In this way, each  ecosystem must face these new circumstances, without it being necessary to change the way in which they interact or coexist . Understanding it from this perspective, it would mean the ease of managing to face these surprising changes.

What are their types and characteristics?

In general, this is a capacity that is easily recognized, thanks to the fact that people demonstrate integrity despite living stressful circumstances.

Some factors play a role in the development of resilience. These elements are what will allow people to use this psychological tool . What they are is described below:

• Maintain affective family and friendship relationships and also in the professional field; they are all important elements for an adequate development of resilience .
• The personal relationships promote the resilience of each person to practice as greater confidence. In other words, based on these models and examples to follow, stimuli are offered that provide security; contributing to the reaffirmation of this quality in each person.
• The realization of plans , objectives and steps that are realistic, in that they can be carried out.
• Maintain a positive vision on a personal level, in this way the skills can be used with confidence.
• The ability to maintain fluid communication with other people , this will allow solving problems of any kind.
• Ability to have control over impulses and feelings .

There are different types, each of them has particular characteristics that make them identifiable. Depending on how it is applied, the result is the ability to face situations of different kinds . Some of the types of resilience with their respective characteristics are described below:

• The environmental resilience , also called ecological , describes the ability of a system to maintain or restore balance. That is, it is related to restoration.
• In children and adolescents , it turns out to be a fundamental part of emotional and social development . It is one of the tools used to adapt to the environment. In addition, it means achieving confidence, self-esteem and optimism.
• The resilience of technological systems is identified by the capacity for recovery and resistance to any type of disturbance.
• Resilience in the legal field describes people who can fully regain their freedom and rights . They can face any action imposed by the laws of a state, they will not be affected.
• Resilience in sociology describes the capacity of social groups to survive, overcome and rebuild ; in situations that violate the links that existed between its members.
• The organizational resilience is a quality in order to maintain order and control over the emotional processes . It is applied in work situations, in this way workers can face unexpected changes.

Examples of this quality

The examples of resilience allow a more precise understanding of how it works in people and in society . It can be taken as a reference to the experiences of people recognized globally, these are considered an example of improvement .

Important figures for the world of science, politics, medicine and other important aspects for humanity describe very well how it is applied. In the case of Stephen Hawking , he proved to be able to continue his contributions to physical science. Despite his physical limitations derived from a neurodegenerative disease , he even managed to exceed the life expectancy of patients of this type when he died at 76 years of age.

Nelson Mandela is another example because he survived 27 years in prison for political and discriminatory reasons. Thanks to the fact that he showed sufficient mental and physical integrity, upon his release he ran for the office of the presidency of his country. As a result, he wins the elections.

Survivors of concentration camps during World War II also demonstrated this ability. Other examples are the thousands of people who throughout the history of humanity have survived environmental catastrophes, also situations of war and violence. Likewise, people who know how to face and act in situations of vulnerability, such as patients with terminal illnesses .

What is its importance? 

This is a quality that is characterized by managing to overcome traumatic situations . In the long term, people do not represent any problem and therefore it is possible to continue without representing a limitation.

It can be said that later, these events are used as an example of learning . Even as something positive, since it allows to develop emotional resources that were not previously possessed.

According to various studies in which it has been analyzed how resilience works, as a result it is observed that it begins to develop from childhood . For several years, this issue was in question because pathological and unusual responses have been identified.

That is, it is recognized that behavior changes drastically with respect to the situations that must be faced. This means that resilience is a positive capacity , it is the best way to face challenges and in turn overcome them.

It is therefore a psychological capacity that is also linked to affective aspects and self-esteem . When working in this capacity appropriately from childhood , positive results can be seen in the future.

It is still being studied whether it is innate or learned, some hold the theory that it depends on the genetics of each person to have a predisposition to have it. Others affirm that it can be learned, in any of these cases they agree that experience can influence its development.

Tips for Building and Strengthening Resilience

To guarantee its development there are a series of conditions that are necessary. One of them is the establishment of positive family and affective relationships . In addition, the acceptance of receiving support from close people strengthens this capacity. Other tips are mentioned below:

• People must remain active within social groups, with a communicative activity based on mutual support. Resilience is also an essential social quality . It has been proven that there is greater acceptance when people perceive that others show positivism and self-confidence.
• It is also recommended to accept all the changes that occur in life. It depends on the understanding of the circumstances and with this it is possible to act in a timely manner.
• It is not always possible to change the situations or aspects that bother us, it is best to remain ready to find new solutions and alternatives.
• Set goals and find ways to achieve them. When these goals are realistic, they allow the person to focus on tasks that can be carried out step by step.

• When you set goals through very high expectations , there is a greater chance that you will feel that you are not making enough progress, or even as if you are failing.
• In any adverse situation, it is best to react in a decisive way. It is not recommended to ignore problems , waiting for them to go away on their own is not the real solution:
• The search for opportunities involves establishing relationships and assertive personal communication. Therefore, the person is acting against adversity.
• Resilience depends on cultivating an optimistic vision and hope .

Proper management of personal relationships will make it possible to increase emotional strength. Self-esteem is influenced to improve, and people also show they have a better appreciation of life .