Are you resilient enough? Take our quiz!

Do you have enough resilience to face the world out there? Take our quiz to find out how resilient you are and find tips on how to build your mental resilience.

What is resilience?

Resilience is an inner strength, the ability to bounce back and cope with a challenge or setback, whether a natural disaster, illness, the loss of your job or the breakup of a relationship. If you don't have enough resilience, you may feel victimised and overwhelmed, dwelling on your problems. As a result, you might turn to unhealthy habits such as substance or alcohol abuse to help you cope with life's stresses.

How resilient are you? Take the test!

Take a look at the following statements and rate your responses:

1. If something bad is said about me, I can't stop thinking about it.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

2. I find it hard to stand up for myself in a debate.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

3. It's important to me that others like me.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

4. I find it hard to recover from disappointments.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

5. I can cope with whatever challenges life throws at me.

a)Strongly disagree

b)Disagree

c)Agree

d)Strongly agree

6. When I'm stressed, I find it hard to focus on what's important.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

7. Criticism dents my self-confidence.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

8. I enjoy a challenge. Hold my beer!

a)Strongly disagree

b)Disagree

c)Agree

d)Strongly agree

9. I am easily intimidated.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

10. When faced with a challenge, I often give up quickly.

a)Strongly agree

b)Agree

c)Disagree

d)Strongly disagree

11. I strive to achieve my goals, whatever obstacles I face.

a)Strongly disagree

b)Disagree

c)Agree

d)Strongly agree

Now add up your scores. Give yourself one point for every a), two for b), three for c), and four for d).

35-44: You are very resilient and self-confident. You possess the strength and inner resources to face almost any challenge life throws at you.

25-34: You have good to moderate resilience and feel in control of your life. You cope well in a crisis and rebound from setbacks.

11-24: You lack emotional resilience. But don't despair; even if you're not naturally resilient, you can learn to handle stress better and find a way around problems rather than giving up. Read on for strategies to help you cope better with setbacks and challenges.

Ten ways to develop resilience

If you are easily discouraged and find it difficult to distinguish between minor setbacks and serious challenges, Bach Flowers can help you break the cycle and rebound from difficulties. Bach flowers help to reframe negative thoughts in a positive way so you can rebalance your life.

Relax

Learn to relax with relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or deep breathing. Practice a good routine to make sure you get enough sleep. Exercise is a great way to relax - if you're bored with the gym, try something new such as dancing or cycling.

Practice positive thinking

Don't let negative thoughts hold you back. Positive thinking means being aware of a negative inner voice when facing difficulties. Don't blame yourself or tell yourself that you won't be able to cope. Instead, correct negative thoughts with positive statements, tell yourself that you can do this, and you'll learn from it.

You can choose how to respond

Everyone faces bad days and crises. But it's up to you whether you respond with negativity and panic or whether you stay calm and think logically to try to work through the challenge and find a solution.

Keep things in perspective

Resilient individuals know that, although things may feel overwhelming at the moment, they may not be so significant in the longer term. So try not to blow events up out of proportion.

Learn from mistakes

Every failure or mistake can teach you essential lessons so take time to reflect. And crises such as a relationship breakdown or job loss can trigger "post-traumatic growth". Stressful life events often lead to a period when people look at their lives and re-evaluate what's important, leading to positive change.

Develop your self-confidence

Resilient people are self-confident, and when they face challenges, they believe that they'll eventually succeed. Self-believe also gives them the confidence to take risks when striving to achieve their goals. Bach Flower Mix 44 can help reduce performance, anxiety, grow your self-belief and make you more resilient.

Build a strong network

When you've built good relationships at work, you're happier and more able to cope with stress. And in your personal life, developing solid friendships gives you a natural support network you can lean on if things aren't going well for you.

Be prepared to change

Resilient people know that life can throw curveballs, and situations can change rapidly. However carefully you've planned, things may sometimes need to be altered or abandoned altogether. So try to be flexible and adapt to circumstances.

A final thought

When someone recalls a tough, stressful time in their life, they often describe it as one of the best things that ever happened to them. They faced a setback but learnt from it and became more resilient, competent and determined. And when you can face life's challenges without letting them overwhelm you, you're free to enjoy your life to the full.

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-resilience-2795059

https://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/health/improving-mental-wellbeing

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