In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, resilience is a crucial quality for young adults to possess. Cultivating resilience equips them with the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and thrive in the face of adversity.
With a strong foundation rooted in resilience, no matter what challenges might be presented to an individual, the eagerness to not only try their best but to overcome obstacles can bring a person far. Not just in terms of career, but in personal and social circles as well.
There are many talented and gifted young people in the world, but what sets someone apart from the masses is the ability to pick themselves up again after failure and the perseverance to keep pursuing their passions, no matter how difficult the road ahead might be.
While resilience is a trait that can be developed over time, it requires deliberate effort and practical strategies. In this article, we’ll explore ten actionable tips to help parents, educators, and mentors foster resilience in young adults.
Foster a Growth Mindset:
Encourage young adults to adopt a growth mindset by emphasizing the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and perseverance.
Some people are born with natural talents and predispositions for certain things, but talent without hard work can only get someone so far.
If your child is fortunate enough to be talented in their passion, it is important to encourage them to work hard to enhance their natural abilities.
With that being said, it is important to stay humble and thankful for their natural capabilities and pay it forward by helping those who might be lagging behind. Hopefully, by helping others, others will be inspired to help them as well should they stumble in their journey so it is easier for them to pick themselves up after a failure.
Teach them to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles.
Show them that challenges can be overcome with hard work, and if that fails, perhaps it might be time to rely on the help of others to work together and move forward.
Help them understand that failure is a natural part of the learning process and an opportunity to learn and improve.
Teach Problem-Solving Skills:
Equip young adults with practical problem-solving skills to navigate life’s challenges effectively. Encourage them to break down problems into manageable steps, brainstorm potential solutions, and consider the consequences of their actions.
Large challenges may seem demoralising or much too hard to overcome. In these situations, sometimes it seems like the best thing to do is to give up.
This is why it is important to know how to break down large problems into smaller steps that can be slowly chipped away over days or weeks.
That way, it is easier to see progress and be encouraged to move forward, as opposed to facing a large problem head-on and feeling demoralised when it seems like they are not making any progress.
Provide opportunities for them to practice problem-solving in real-life situations and offer guidance and support as needed.
Promote Self-Care Practices:
Encourage young adults to prioritize self-care activities that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Teach them the importance of regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and stress management techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation exercises.
A strong mind is nothing without a strong body as well to carry them through the steps that need to be done to achieve their goal.
Highlight the importance of nourishing both the mind and the body so they can keep your child happy, healthy and ready to accomplish the task at hand.
Emphasize the importance of setting boundaries and saying no to activities that may compromise their well-being.
Develop Emotional Intelligence:
Help young adults develop emotional intelligence by teaching them to recognize, understand, and manage their emotions effectively. Encourage them to express their feelings in healthy ways and to seek support from trusted friends, family members, or professionals when needed.
Encourage them to process all their feelings, including the negative ones. Feelings like anger, sadness, jealousy and insecurity are all part and parcel of navigating life.
Instead of teaching them that negative feelings are “bad” and meant to be ignored, help them work through these difficult feelings either with a trusted friend or adult or on their own.
Teach them coping strategies such as deep breathing, journaling, or practising gratitude to navigate difficult emotions.
There is always a root cause of a negative emotion. Hopefully, with enough reflection, the root cause can be addressed, alleviating the mental strain placed on your child.
Encourage Healthy Risk-Taking:
Encourage young adults to step out of their comfort zones and take healthy risks in pursuit of their goals and aspirations. Provide opportunities for them to try new activities, explore their interests, and challenge themselves in safe and supportive environments.
Healthy risk-taking normalises failure and teaches your child that is perfectly alright to try new things without the pressure to be perfect right off the get-go.
Celebrate their efforts and accomplishments, regardless of the outcome, and help them learn from their experiences.
Applaud them for their bravery and willingness to try new things no matter how scary it may seem.
Foster Independence and Responsibility:
Empower young adults to take ownership of their lives by gradually increasing their independence and responsibility. Encourage them to set goals, make decisions, and take initiative in their personal and academic pursuits.
Provide guidance and support as they navigate the transition to adulthood, but also allow them the freedom to learn from their mistakes and grow.
Provide Role Models and Mentors:
Expose young adults to positive role models and mentors who exemplify resilience and success in their chosen fields. Encourage them to seek guidance and advice from individuals they admire and respect, whether it be a family member, teacher, coach, or community leader.
While you as their parent will always be their first role model, it is important for them to seek different perspective and viewpoints from other trusted adults as they grow and develop into a person of their own.
Provide opportunities for mentorship and networking to help young adults expand their horizons and build a supportive network of peers and mentors.
Encourage Reflection and Growth:
Encourage young adults to reflect on their experiences and learn from both their successes and failures. Help them develop a growth-oriented mindset by asking open-ended questions that prompt self-reflection and self-awareness.
Reflection not only allows them to keep track of their mistakes but also their achievements. While mistakes should be highlighted to be improved on, it is important to take note of the successes and highlight them as well!
Encourage them to set goals, track their progress, and celebrate their achievements along the way.
Foster Social Connections:
Help young adults build strong social connections and support networks that can provide a sense of belonging and community. Encourage them to participate in group activities, clubs, or volunteer opportunities where they can meet like-minded peers and develop meaningful relationships. Teach them the importance of empathy, compassion, and cooperation in building positive and supportive relationships.
Feeling supported in their life can help them to put small failures into perspective. It can also provide them with other encouraging shoulders to lean on and motivate them to get up and try again.
Model Resilient Behavior:
Lead by example and demonstrate resilient behaviour in your own life. Show young adults how to cope with stress, overcome obstacles, and maintain a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Share your own experiences of resilience and perseverance to inspire and motivate them on their own journey toward resilience.
As their parent and someone that they look up to, sharing your mistakes and failures is a great way to normalise setbacks.
With any luck, they might think, ‘If Mom or Dad can do it, so can I!’
Cultivating resilience in young adults is a multifaceted process that requires a combination of practical strategies, guidance, and support. By implementing these ten tips, parents, educators, and mentors can empower young adults to develop the resilience they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Through fostering a growth mindset, teaching problem-solving skills, promoting self-care practices, developing emotional intelligence, encouraging healthy risk-taking, fostering independence and responsibility, providing role models and mentors, encouraging reflection and growth, fostering social connections, and modelling resilient behaviour, we can help young adults build the resilience they need to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
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