In keeping with the theme of our 7th annual conference, Bounce! Building Resiliency Through Prevention, we would like to share some resiliency strategies with you.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands. A number of factors contribute to how well people adapt to adversities, including the ways in which individuals view and engage with the world, the availability and quality of social resources, and specific coping strategies.

Here are 7 strategies to build bounce into your wellness plan:

1. Build your connections with others by prioritizing your relationships with empathic and understanding people to remind yourself that you are not alone.

2. Join a civic, faith-based, or social support group with like-minded people who encourage you to embrace your strengths and grow as a person.

3. Foster your personal wellness by taking care of your body, practicing mindfulness, and avoiding negative outlets like drugs or alcohol.

4. Find your own purpose in life by helping others, being proactive, moving toward your goals, and looking for opportunities for self-discovery.

5. Embrace healthy thoughts by keeping things in perspective, accepting change, maintaining a hopeful outlook, and learning from your past.

6. Read a book that offers concrete steps you can take to build resiliency, such as Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar or Building Bounce: How to Grow Emotional Resilience by Marcus Warner.

7. If needed, seek help from a professional trained in assisting people in developing appropriate life strategies such as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker.