Resilience to be Cheerful part 3

Resilience to be Cheerful part 3

Except its really just Part 2, but that isn't a play on the Ian Dury song 'Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3', enough, okay I'll move on.

In discussions with my GP, Mental Health Nurse, Talking Therapist I recognised the need for resilience as I begun to see an ever so slight upturn in my depression and anxiety before my failed return to work in October last year before I again returned 12th November.  I was very much afraid that I would relapse again and again and again for the rest of my working life having episodes of Depression, Anxiety in 2010, 2012, 2014 and now 2015 ......... I was afraid that I would be boom and bust mentally for the years upto my retirement.  Right now I'm feeling a tad more optimistic again regards this as I have my first full time working weeks next week and the week after.  I need resilience and robustness because I don't want to be in a cycle of relapse and recovery at close proximity.  I guess I can't promise myself respite from this nor can my health professionals but I know I need to work as hard as I can to avoid that relapse cycle.

Resilience is all about me growing my capacity to handle difficulties, demands, any high pressure situations without becoming overtly stressed or triggered into depression/anxiety/mania.  I don't have a magic wand, I'm aware that I can only do what I can do and hope that it builds resilience and robustness over time.

I think from a headline position its about:-

• Not wasting energy on unimportant small matters
• Being flexible to change ( harder to do than say )
• Ian Holroyd's Bouncebackability ( football manager saying )
• Making the best of any new situation
• In all the above, seeing off the negative demon on your shoulder
• Mindful working
• Mindful living
• Seeing and understanding fight or flight respones as they arise
• Not being hard on self ( avoiding perfectionism )
• Don't judge own thoughts
• Don't get cross if you are negative, forgive yourself quickly
• Plan your day but dont Judge your day against that plan ( flexibility )
• Allow yourself happiness

There is no magic wand but all the above are going in my little red notebook.  Allowing me to focus on my best chance for resilience and robustness.

We'll see how it all goes.