The story of Chanukah is the story of resilience. The Greeks tried to conquer the Jewish people by destroying the temple, but the Macabees found a way to light the menorah with a small amount of oil that burned bright for eight days. This ability to face adversity and survive is resilience.
We see that same resilience in each person who comes to SHALVA for help. Through counseling, they each learn that they have their own light and resilience within themselves that nobody can extinguish. Here are some tips from SHALVA for ways to build resilience.
8 Days, 8 Ways to Build Resilience
•CONNECT with people! A strong social network helps us through tough times. It is okay to reach out to family, friends, and spiritual leaders for support.
•LOOK beyond present crisis. Close your eyes and think about how the future might be better. You might not have a plan on how to get there but visualizing where you want to be is empowering.
•ACCEPT that change is a part of living. Flexibility is key to being resilient. Think about small steps you can take or decide that there is nothing you can do and accept that.
•Explore opportunities for SELF-DISCOVERY. Take a class, listen to a podcast, or watch a video to learn something new about yourself and build your confidence.
•Nurture POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE. What are your strengths? Are you funny, kind, thoughtful or loyal? Go to https://www.viacharacter.org/ to learn your character strengths.
•Keep a HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE on life. Gratitude has been proven to increase happiness and build resilience. A gratitude practice focuses on what is right in your life, instead of what is wrong. Write down or think about three things to be grateful for in your life each day.
•Take Care of YOURSELF. Be sure to eat well, have good sleep habits and make time for activities you enjoy. Life may feel like chaos, but even five minutes for yourself can re-energize you.
•Maintain HOPE. Staying optimistic isn’t easy when life is hard, but a hopeful outlook is part of resiliency. Find your light.
