Small Steps to Resilience: Rewiring Your Brain for a Better Life
This program provides small, actionable steps based on neuroscience to increase resilience by changing brain activity and chemistry. Learn how small changes in your actions, interactions, thoughts, and surroundings can significantly impact your mood, motivation, and ability to bounce back from adversity.
Program Modules
Understanding Resilience and Your Brain
Learn the neuroscience of resilience and how your brain responds to stress and adversity. Understand the key brain circuits involved in mood, motivation, and emotional regulation.
Reflect on Past Challenges
WeeklyThink about a time you faced a significant challenge. How did you respond? What resources did you draw upon? Identify what helped you cope and what hindered your recovery. Write down your reflections in a journal. Consider how uncertainty, physical pain, and loss of connection affected you.
“Uncertainty and aimless action physical pain loss of a close relationship all have myriad negative effects on the neural circuits of emotion and attention and motivation”
Taking Small Steps: Actions for a Resilient Brain
Explore small, practical steps that can positively impact your brain's activity and chemistry. Focus on actions related to social connection, physical activity, exposure to nature, and mindful practices.
Connect with Someone
DailyReach out to a friend or family member. Have a meaningful conversation. Share a positive experience or offer support. This helps replenish your oxytocin system.
“Loss of a close relationship meant loss of a steady source of the neurotransmitter oxytocin which helps calm the brain stress response.”
Move Your Body
DailyEngage in at least 15 minutes of physical activity. This could be a brisk walk, a bike ride, or a dance session. Exercise strengthens dopamine circuits of motivation and elevates serotonin.
“All the running and jumping strengthened my dopamine circuits of motivation and just getting outside helps synchronize my circadian rhythms to my sleep cycle.”
Get Some Sunlight
DailySpend at least 15 minutes outdoors in natural sunlight. Sunlight helps the brain produce its own form of morphine, increasing pain tolerance and improving mood.
“The sunlight helping the brain to produce its own form of morphine”
Practice Gratitude
DailyTake a few minutes to write down three things you are grateful for. This helps shift your focus to the positive and promotes a sense of well-being.
Making Resilience a Habit
Learn strategies for integrating resilience-building activities into your daily life. Develop routines and habits that support your mental and emotional well-being.
Establish a Morning Routine
DailyCreate a short morning routine that includes activities like stretching, meditation, and gratitude journaling. This sets a positive tone for the day and strengthens your resilience. Think about the impact of consistent, small actions.
“There is no one big solution to strengthening resilience but there are dozens of small solutions all around you beyond the ones I've already mentioned there's gratitude and sleep hygiene mindfulness and deep breathing and many more each doing their part”
Evening Wind-Down Routine
DailyCreate a calming evening routine to improve sleep hygiene, including dimming lights, avoiding screens, and engaging in relaxing activities like reading or taking a warm bath. Prioritize sleep to restore resilience.
What You'll Accomplish
- Understand the neuroscience of resilience.
- Identify small, actionable steps to increase resilience.
- Learn how to change brain activity and chemistry through daily actions.
- Integrate resilience-building activities into your daily life.
- Develop routines and habits that support mental and emotional well-being.
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