EPISODE #98- 9 Ways to Harness Resilience for Mental Health Challenges

Has life been tough lately? Have you found yourself questioning your strength and resilience in the face of adversity, particularly when dealing with mental health challenges? Well, I'm here to remind you that you're stronger than you think - and this episode is all about rediscovering that invincible spirit within you. We're about to embark on a journey exploring resilience, a trait innate in all of us, but often overlooked in times of distress. 

Through personal anecdotes and shared experiences, we dig into the power of resilience, especially when navigating mental health disorders. It's about recognizing the small victories, dusting off after a fall, and pushing forward, irrespective of how we feel. We discuss practical coping strategies, the importance of being proactive, and continually reassessing our approach when life throws a curveball. This episode promises not just to inspire, but also to provide real, actionable advice for those living with mental health issues and the people standing by them. Stick around to the end and you'll come away with a renewed understanding of resilience, and how you can harness it in your journey.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello and welcome to Grand Over the Front. I am your host, timber Trey. This podcast is dedicated to the millions of sufferers who strive every single day to feel better. Did you know that over 800,000 people commit suicide every single year? That means that every 50 seconds someone is taking their life. Every time I hear about someone committing suicide, I feel that was there anything that I could possibly do? And I know that most likely there wasn't, but I really worked so hard to try to decrease the number of suicides in this country through this podcast. I invite you to subscribe. We can be found on Spotify, google Play and Apple Music. This podcast will also reach out to those of you who may have loved ones who are struggling with a mental illness and you are trying to understand them better. Stay tuned for our 98th episode.

Speaker 1: 1:26

This episode is on resilience. Just know that every single person who suffers with a mental illness is a winner, and they are a winner because every single day, they work hard to manage their symptoms, do what they need to do on that specific day and then get up the next day knowing that their mental illness is likely to show up in some shape, form or fashion. They just don't know at what degree. Will today be a day when I have mild symptoms, or will I have moderate symptoms, or will my symptoms be severe? And that is something that happens every single day, because usually this dreadful disease known as depression very seldom takes a day off, and because this disease never takes a day off. That's why it is incumbent upon us to have a plan in place, because we know typically what to expect, and that is why being proactive is essential. Today, we'll be talking about resilience, and resilience is something that most people who suffer with depression and not just those of us who suffer with depression we are resilient at birth and it's just a matter of us relying on that resilience when we need it. So let's first define what is resilience. Resilience is a capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, toughness. It is the ability to process and adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.

Speaker 1: 3:48

I want you to think for a moment. Where do you think you stand when it comes to resilience? Have you ever been put to the test? Have you ever been in a situation where you knew that the only way that you could survive was to rely on your ability to cope and to overcome circumstances that present themselves. I feel like I know that I am a resilient person. However, when we are actually in the situation that requires us to exhibit resilience, that's when we truly know that we are much stronger than we possibly could imagine. So I want you to just think back over the last five years, or maybe it was the last year of the last six months, or perhaps the last three months.

Speaker 1: 5:00

Think of a situation where you were put to the test and you felt as though it would be very difficult for you to figure out what to do next, because you were stressed out over the loss of a loved one. Or you were stressed out because your spouse lost their job. Or you were stressed out because your child is angry and no one can figure out why, and the issue appears to be getting stronger and stronger. They're having temper tantrums, they're throwing things, they're breaking things, they're yelling and screaming, and this behavior is new and you're trying to figure it out. I understand, I get it.

Speaker 1: 5:59

Life has become a myriad of complexities and there are just new experiences and new situations that people are facing and they're simply not prepared to handle it. So what do we do? Do we give in? Do we quit? Do we just throw in the towel? No, we cannot do that, and so we have to regroup. We have to go back to the table and lay out all the cards and figure out what to do next. We realize now that what we have been doing is no longer working, so we have to think of something else to do. Approach the situation with a brand new perspective, come at the issues from a different angle and then figure out what needs to be tweaked or tossed. And once you do that, you have a trial period and a trial run and you go back to the table later to see what worked and what did not work, and you continue going back to the table until you figure out what is the best plan. But we must realize that we cannot continue to strategize in the same way. We have to mobilize and figure out what needs to happen in order for us to continue to grow, to learn and to succeed, and when we do that, then we are positioning ourselves for better outcomes. I like to talk about hope a lot, because hope really can inspire us, and so when I think about resilience, I also know that when we are resilient, we know that when the storms come, that they will pass. We know that there are better days ahead of us, and that is what resilience is all about.

Speaker 1: 8:30

Being resilient is it's not feeling great every single day, but it is pushing yourself, knowing that you cannot refrain from pushing yourself, because it is a requirement and a necessity for someone who suffers from depression, and I've talked many times in my episodes about how difficult it is, how tiring it can become. I've also shared with you that I have taken psychotropic medication for the past probably 15 years, and sometimes I just get tired of taking it and I want to tell myself I'm just not going to take it today, I just don't feel like it. But when we set ourselves up and do something differently, like refraining from taking our medication, even for just one day, then we're not being proactive. So being resilient is recognizing that, no matter how I'm feeling, I have to take the steps in order to feel better. Is it fair? No, it isn't fair. Is it something that anyone should have to go through for all of their life? No, I wouldn't agree with that.

Speaker 1: 9:58

But sometimes we have to recognize that the things that happen in our lives and what we are either subjected to, or diagnosed with or have to deal with is something that is going to make us stronger. It is going to be the testimony of the strength and the courage that it took to keep going. So pat yourself on the back, because when you are resilient, that means that you know that giving up is never an option. So when there is a day that comes when you are not feeling your best, I don't want you to beat yourself up about it. What I would rather you do is recognize the small wins and also realize that you are still here.

Speaker 1: 11:03

You are listening to this podcast because you care, because you want some answers, because you want to feel better, or you want to help someone else in your life feel better, or maybe you don't suffer with the mental illness. You're just here to get some life lessons and some nuggets that are going to help propel you and catapult you to the next level. So, whatever reason that you are here, I appreciate it and, as I said, this is my 98th episode and if you just found this podcast, there are 97 other episodes little bits of encouragement, nuggets that are going to help you look at life from a different lens, because when we are stuck in one particular lens, then we are not exploring every possibility that is out there and can help us to turn our lives around. I want you to think about how far you've come. Yes, you may say I have come a little ways, but I have so much further to go. That's okay, because as long as you are putting one foot in front of the other, then you are building momentum. And because you are building momentum, after a while you will gain speed, you will gain traction and you will be surprised at all of the successes and the progress that you have made. I want to tell you a story about resilience, and the story is called Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking.

Speaker 1: 13:09

Martin was a shy person. Since his childhood, he always had a fear of talking to people. After finishing school, he joined a college where he had to relocate to a city from his hometown. He stayed in the college hostel and for the first time in his life, he was staying away from family. It was a new experience for him staying with so many people around him. The environment made him comfortable and he started talking freely to his friends and lecturers. Martin's confidence started growing immensely. With the help of his friends, he started practicing public speaking.

Speaker 1: 13:54

One day he got the opportunity to give a speech at the college annual event. He prepared himself very well for the event and on the day of the event he got nervous. Seeing the large crowd, his body started shivering and no words would come out of his mouth. Students in the auditorium began whispering, seeing Martin struggle. His professor told him to present. At the end Martin went backstage and started crying. His friend consoled him and said Martin, you have prepared very hard for this. Just remove any thought in your mind. You are resilient. Go and present yourself and I believe you can do it. After some time he went again to present. He was still nervous. He took a few deep breaths and said to himself you are tougher than what you think. You can do this. As he started his speech, his voice turned the attention of everyone in the auditorium. He was very confident and immediately went into the flow. After his speech people gave him a standing ovation. On that day Martin gave one of the best speeches.

Speaker 1: 15:18

You see, opportunities come rarely and even when you fail to grab them in the first attempt, you have to recover quickly and try again. The more you face failures, the more you become resilient and in the future, whenever you encounter any challenging situations, you will have the ability to spring back and to reach your success and happiness. Now Martin could have, after the first speech and feeling so nervous he could have just left and went home, but he got some encouragement from friends who knew that he had practiced and prepared. And just because he was nervous did not mean that he could not be successful. You see, martin exhibited resilience. He didn't give up. The same people that were whispering when he went out the first time should have admired the fact that he had the courage to come back and to start again. And as you listened in the story, it said that he gave one of the best speeches that night and that he received a standing ovation. So my question to you is what is holding you back and keeping you from realizing that you are resilient? Is there something that you feel you felt miserably at? Go back and try it again, because it is a known fact that 99.9% of success is perseverance. You are resilient. Remember that. Go out and get what it is you want and start to feel better.

Speaker 1: 17:31

I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening. Would you consider becoming a patron for when over depression. You can go to wwwpatreoncom that's P-A-T-R-E-O-Ncom. In two weeks we will drop our 100th episode and we are encouraging our listeners to give a one-time donation of $100 in commemoration of our 100th episode. Please consider helping this channel to reach more markets, to grow and to expand internationally. You have been such a great listeners and the best part of when over depression and again, thank you for hanging in there with me and for listening to these words about how we can all help reduce the number of suicides that are committed in this country. I will see you next Friday. Stay in the game of life. Remember, giving up is never an option.