FINDING YOUR RESILIENCE · Hardwiring happiness: The new brain science of contentment, calm, and confidence. New York, NY: Harmony Books. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living:

FINDING YOUR RESILIENCE

Presented by

Cigna Employee Assistance Program

Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2015 Cigna Some content provided under license.

SEMINAR GOALS

2

• Discuss what it means to be resilient

• Explore factors that influence your ability to be resilient

• Identify the role that resilience plays in your life

• Learn strategies to build up your personal resilience

• Know the benefits of your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)


WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “RESILIENT”?

3

Fall seven times, stand up eight. -- Japanese proverb

A RESILIENT

PERSON

Doesn’t give up

Takes action

Faces fears

Seeks solutions

Is able to adapt

Stays hopeful

Believes in self

Manages stress

Quotes, n.d.


RESILIENCE IS A RESPONSE

4

MINOR

STRESSORS

Adapt without

thought

LIFE-

THREATENING

STRESSORS

Automatically

seek safety

OTHER

STRESSORS

Response based on

interpretation


WHAT SHAPES OUR ABILITY TO BE RESILIENT?

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Volume of stress

Intersects with vulnerabilities

Offset by strengths

This equation adds up differently for every individual.


BEHIND THE SCENES

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The neurobiology of stress

• Threat response hardwired for survival

• Negativity bias overestimates danger

• Neural connections lock memory to fear

• Connections to rational brain weaken


THE RESILIENT BRAIN

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• Rational brain is part of conversation

• Repetition reinforces positive feedback loop

• Gradually becomes preferred response

• Build connections with small steps


HOW DOES THIS LOOK IN REAL LIFE?

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• Resilience may be signaled in small ways

• Lack of resilience may look similar to depression

• Look for strengths used in low grade stress

• “Tipping point” can show up with intense stressors

9 Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2015 Cigna Some content provided under license.

Resilience

BUILDERS

Perspective

Purpose

People

Plasticity


PERSPECTIVE

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Regain a sense of control

with a shift in perspective

• Let go of shame, blame, self-pity

• Pull focus out to see big picture

• Practice attitude of gratitude

• Remind yourself of capabilities

The ability to shift perspective can help you face fears, adapt, and take action. /

http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/resilience-quotes/


PURPOSE

11

Find your footing

and define a future

• Embrace who you are

• Look for meaning in difficulty

• Set goals; make them realistic

• Use moral compass to guide

The ability to find meaning can help you believe in yourself and not give up. /

http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/resilience-quotes/


PEOPLE

12

Turn to others to get and give support

• Can be a safety net

• Stimulates “feel good” hormone

• Find laughter

• Open your heart

The ability to turn to others can help you work out solutions and be more hopeful.


PLASTICITY

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Use mindfulness to rewire response

• Lose the labels

• Turn down worries

• Know that the storm will pass

The ability to be mindful can help you create new connections and manage stress.


A FIRM FOUNDATION

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Be well to be resilient

• Sleep resets mind and body

• Food can be friend or foe

• Exercise changes stress response

Don’t forget to keep your emotional and spiritual tanks full as well.

Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2015 Cigna Some content provided under license. 15

RESILIENCE Finding in yourself…

a hopeful vision for what will come,

belief that you can achieve it,

strength to take action to accomplish it,

and a willingness to seek compassionate support

from others and yourself to take small steps forward.

The more you do this, the more you make it so.

BENEFITS OF THE EAP

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• Face-to-face sessions

• Confidential

• Prepaid

• Unlimited telephonic consultation

• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Household benefit

• Work/life support such as

elder care, child care and pet care

• Financial services

• Legal services



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Hanson, R. (2013). Hardwiring happiness: The new brain science of contentment, calm, and confidence. New York, NY: Harmony

Books.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. New York,

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475-491. Retrieved from http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/viewFile/464/354

Loder, D. (2015). How to rewire your brain for happiness. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/sites#/sites/vanessaloder/2015/03/18/how-to-rewire-your-brain-for-happiness/

McEwen, B.S., & Gianaros, P.J. (2011). Stress- and allostasis-induced brain plasticity. Annual Review of Medicine (62), 431-445.

Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4251716/

REFERENCES

Norris, F.H. (2010). Behavioral science perspectives on resilience. Retrieved from http://www.resilientus.org/wp-

content/uploads/2013/03/Behav_Science_Perspectives_fn_1309545968.pdf

Ozbay, F., Johnson, D.C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan, III, C.A., Charney, D., and Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and resilience to

stress. Psychiatry, 4 (5): 35-40. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311/

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business.com/article/09306?gko=5df7f

Ryan, M.J. (2009). Adaptability: How to survive change you didn’t ask for. New York, NY: Broadway Books.

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REFERENCES


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Documents

FINDING YOUR RESILIENCE · Hardwiring happiness: The new brain science of contentment, calm, and confidence. New York, NY: Harmony Books. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: