Wellfie Wednesday Tip #96: Path of Resilience

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Happy Wellfie Wednesday and welcome back! This week with is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio). And we hope the topic is something that is applicable to everyone.

     This week I want to talk Resilience and making sure you are aware of your ability to "bounce back" when faced with difficult experiences. "Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors." (1) So essentially how you react when unexpected or unwanted situations come your way. Do you get trapped behind new road blocks or roll with the punches and adapt to a new environment? 

     The American Psychological Association has some great resources on Resilience, including strategies and places to seek help. I'll go ahead and share with you their "10 ways to build resilience," (1) but be sure to check out their site for more in-depth information for each of these: 

  1. Make connections
  2. Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems
  3. Accept that change is a part of living
  4. Move toward your goals
  5. Take decisive actions
  6. Look for opportunities for self-discovery
  7. Nurture a positive view of yourself
  8. Keep things in perspective
  9. Maintain a hopeful outlook
  10. Take care of yourself

     I have personally come across several instances recently that have tested my resilience. With starting a new business and planning for a wedding, things never go exactly as I originally hope. But I have learned to accept that things are not always in my control and change can be a positive thing that usually puts me on a new path, but often a path with greater reward. 

     It is important to remember that success comes with having a great support system of friends, family, and loved ones to help you along the way. Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

1. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx

 

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #60: Beyond the Traditional Benefits of Exercise!

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Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

     This week’s tip is brought to you by Eric (@Eric_in_AmERICa) and his take on the benefits of exercise. At this point the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of exercise have been well documented in numerous studies and articles, including our previous “Fitness vs Fatness” Wellfie Wednesday post brilliantly written by Aaron Perez. A simple Pubmed search on “benefits of physical activity” brings back over 16,000 results highlighting everything from improved cardiovascular function and decreased risk of falls, to improved symptoms of depression and decreased risk of dementia. However, I believe many of these articles miss one of the most important physical, mental, and emotional benefits of exercise: Building Resilience.

Merriam-Webster dictionary lists two definitions for the term Resilience:

1. The capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress

2. An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

     Let’s start with how exercise builds physical resilience in the body. Without getting too deep into the physiology, exercise is essentially the process of putting stress on muscles, tendons, bone, and other structures in order to break them down on a micro level so that your body can regenerate stronger tissues, capable of withstanding this increased load. The first definition refers directly to physical resilience as it presents in the body and how it can, with consistency, go on to improve strength, power, endurance, and other physical attributes.

     Physical activity builds greater mental and emotional resilience on several levels as it pertains to the second definition. The first step is the choice to move. Choosing not to exercise is easy and it requires little effort. Instead choosing to get up and move is already a small victory toward building resilience by deciding not to go with the easiest choice. As described above, the act of exercising introduces stress to your body and, over time, your tolerance for stress increases. Here’s where the magic happens- our brain is incredibly designed to transfer this effect from physical stress and also applies it to psychological and emotional stress! And so, as your strength, endurance, and other physical attributes improve, your tolerance for psychological and emotional stress also improve. Put simply, a hard workout makes it easier to tolerate other hard tasks in your life. Not to mention the endorphin boost that typically comes following a bout of exercise is a pretty beneficial mood enhancer! Check out the infographic below for more! 

Stay strong, both mentally AND physically, friends!

     Give this week’s tip a try and let us know what you think! As always, thanks for all of the #WellfieWednesday support. And be sure to tag the WW crew members in your post (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew