Three Strategies to Increase Resilience

Spring is almost here! And with it, probably some dramatic changes in weather. On one day, it’s 70 degrees. And then two days later, it’s snowing. Whether or not you realize it, such swings may be taking a toll on your families’ bodies.

Research shows that big shifts in temperature and environment can actually make you more prone to illness, but there are other factors that contribute to wearing down your immune system at this time of year as well. This is the time of year when kids might be starting spring sports, staying out later in the evening for soccer practices. Your family may also just feel a bit more worn down than usual from winter and the busyness of the school year. And all of these factors combine to make you more susceptible to stress and illness.

The key to combating exhaustion, stress, and even illness is to start practicing the skills of resilience together, as a family. “Resilience” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” People who are resilient handle setbacks or transitions (physical or otherwise) more easily than those who aren’t. Families that are resilient have the flexibility to adapt to new situations and meet new challenges. And while some of “resilience” has been proven to be genetic, most of it is actually up to you. You can practice your “resilience” muscles just like you would exercise any other part of your body.

And you can start today! Here are three strategies to start building more resilience into your family life. 

Focus on rest.

And not just sleep! We all know that getting quality rest at nighttime is crucial for emotional and physical well-being. But focus also on getting rest within the wake times of your week, time to reset and recharge your mind. Research has shown that time for free play is crucial to children’s emotional, social, physical, and intellectual development. Kids need some down time on at least most days to simply be kids—build stuff, create stuff, mess up stuff. Your kids don’t have to be entertained every waking hour. If your kids are older, the same applies—the down time just might be increased alone time, or some extra time for them to pursue a hobby simply because they enjoy it. Some boredom is good for everybody. 

Adults need downtime, too. At least every day if you can, try to have 30 minutes of time that is simply yours. Take a hot bath, go for a walk, listen to a podcast or music. Do something simply for the joy of doing it. 

In addition to sleeping enough and building downtime into your day, consider adding some basic mindfulness techniques. This video teaching deep breathing techniques is geared towards kids, but the principles stand for adults, too. Better yet, do it with your kids! 

Focus on Movement

Physical fitness often feels like an all-or-nothing proposition. You don’t have time to hit the gym for 60 minutes every morning, so you give up. But the Mayo Clinic recommends a mere 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day as a place to start.

Dan Buettner found in his Blue Zones project that most centenarians (people who live to be 100 years or older) get their exercise simply by moving naturally throughout their day. They live in ways that prompt them to be active, whether by walking or bicycling for transportation, gardening, lifting objects, or other everyday activities.

In your own family, think about ways you can get even a little movement in throughout your day. Go for a walk together after dinner as a way to unwind. Play a quick game of driveway basketball. Kick a soccer ball around the backyard. For rainy days or dark evenings, these Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube videos are an awesome way for kids to learn yoga, hear fun stories, and exercise all at once.

Focus on Nutrition

This is another one of those areas that often feels like an all-or-nothing battle. As in, “Well, we had donuts for breakfast, so I don’t really see the point of making us all eat our broccoli tonight . . . ” But for mind and body to become resilient, you have to feed them well. You may be doing just fine with healthy eating in your family (and if so, please share your tips!), but if you feel like your family diet could use some work, consider changing one meal or snack at a time. If sugary cereals tend to be your go-to for breakfast, try more low-sugar options, or sweeten your oatmeal with peanut butter and banana. (It’s good. We promise.) If lunch tends to be fried takeout, try switching to grilled takeout, and then work toward preparing your week’s lunches in advance at home. Many families find it beneficial to plan the entire week of meals in advance. It may sound daunting, but once you get the rhythm, it can actually be really quick. In your weekly family meeting, try going around the table and having everyone contribute one dinner idea, then one breakfast, etc., until you have the week’s menu planned. 

If transforming an entire meal for a week or meal planning seems daunting, start even smaller. Focus on healthier afternoon snacks first. Here’s a helpful list of 28 healthier snack options to get your creative juices flowing. 

It may be cold and flu season, but you don’t have to throw in the towel and wait for the illness, stress, or exhaustion to hit. If these tips are too much, too fast, pick just one thing to focus on at a time. If you’re habitually not getting enough sleep, make that your number one priority for a week. Then, once you’re feeling more rested, try adding in a little bit of exercise every day. If 30 minutes is too much, do less. The free app FitOn has a ton of exercises for every conceivable amount of time, so if all you have is 10 minutes for a bit of stretching, that’s OK! If you know you’re not eating well, try just one healthier recipe this week.

There’s no shame in starting small! And many times, the most sustainable change comes from making small tweaks to your daily life, rather than attempting a complete overhaul at once. The important thing to remember is that your family can actively train to become more resilient. And becoming more physically and mentally resilient helps prepare you to weather not just illness, but also life’s transitions and crises with grace and flexibility.