CHANGE AND CHALLENGES Developing Your Personal Resilience

Presented by Cigna Employee Assistance Program

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• Recognize the characteristics of a resilient person• Discover your own skills and strengths• Learn tactics and techniques for developing resilience• Identify self-defeating thoughts and ideas• Know how to stay strong and resilient during change• Learn the benefits of Employee Assistance Program

SEMINAR GOALS

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is the process of

adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma,

tragedy, threats, or even significant sources

of stress, such as family and relationship

problems, serious health problems, or

workplace and financial stressors.

(American Psychological Association, n.d.)

WHAT IS PERSONAL RESILIENCE?

Resilience

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• Have inner strength• See beyond the present• Face their problems• Take initiative• Examine themselves• Are adaptable

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESILIENT PEOPLE

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When change happens how do you respond?

• Blame yourself

• Lose confidence or hope

• Have difficulty rebounding

• Find new opportunities

• Adapt and overcome

• Focus on the positive

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• Mind• Body• Heart• Spirit

Know your core

IDENTIFY YOUR RESOURCES

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Know your network

IDENTIFY YOUR RESOURCES

• People who care about you• Organizations• Professionals• Wisdom• Yourself• Your toolbox

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DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

• Reframe the situation• Remind yourself of strengths• Practice problem-solving• Improve your self-control• Fake it till you make it

Techniques

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DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

Techniques• Grow in flexibility • Focus on what you can control• Acknowledge the negative• Rethink your worries• Let go of shame and blame

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DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

• Build a support network• Learn from experience• Gather facts • Get perspective• Expand your skills

Tactics

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DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

• Explore your options• Help others • Find the humor• Make a move• Have a mantra

Tactics

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• Negative “if A, then B” assumptions

• “Yes, but” thinking

• Saying “I can’t” when you really mean “I won’t”

• Starting with “I’ll never…”

• Getting stuck on “Why did this happen?”

AVOID SELF-DEFEATING THOUGHT PATTERNS

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HOW ARE WE GETTING THROUGH THIS TODAY?

• Respond creatively• Keep calm and confident• Identify obstacles• Bend a little

Resilience in the short term

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HOW ARE WE WEATHERING THE STORM?

Resilience in the long term

• Build an environment for resilience• Keep hope alive• Set goals for yourself• Find new activities and establish

new habits

(Mayo Clinic, 2011)

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THINKING ABOUT FUTURE CHANGE

• Recognize that change is inevitable• Anticipate and monitor change• View change as an adventure

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• Your strengths• Your growth and development• Your resilience• Your success

You can do it!

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Benefits of the EAP• 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 eldercare,

childcare and pet care• Financial services• Legal services

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American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The Road to Resilience. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx

Keller, Helen. (1903). Optimism. Retrieved from http://www.afb.org/section.aspx?SectionID=1&TopicID=193&SubTopicID=22& DocumentID=1208

Marano, Hara Estroff. (2003). The Art of Resilience. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200305/the-art-resilience

Mayo Clinic. (2011). Resilience: Build skills to endure hardship. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/resilience/MH00078

Pearman, Roger. (2005). Developing Resilience. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/articles/2005/01/resilience.html

Seligman, Martin E.P. (2011). Building Resilience. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2011/04/building-resilience/ar/1

REFERENCES

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