Resiliency Plan Assignment

1. Recognize Your Signs of Stress
   • Where and how do you feel stress in your body?
   • What is your "bad habit" when stressed?

1. Build Healthy Habits
   • Make small changes to improve health (better sleep, nutrition, hydration, exercise)
   • One change I would like to make: ______________________

1. Strengthen Relaxation Response- find ways to calm your body and mind
   • Activities at home that help me relax:
   • Activities at school or work that help me relax:
   • Experiment with relaxation strategies:
     • meditation (try apps like www.calm.com, www.headspace.com)

• self-soothe by doing something comforting (take a walk outside, look at old photos, listen to music, take a bath, have chocolate or a treat)

1. Use Your Strengths: Describe a time that you were able to overcome or handle a significant challenge in your life.

• What did I learn about yourself?
• What personal strength(s) did I draw upon?

1. Increase Positive Emotions daily.

• Find a source of joy or humor
• Find one thing that you are grateful for each day
• Think or write about an accomplishment

1. Counter Unhelpful Thinking
   • Write down your thoughts when stressed and then ask: What is the worst that could happen, AND how could I survive it? Is it possible that it could happen? What would I tell a friend in a similar situation?
   • If you can't stop thinking about a situation or problem, write about it twice over four weeks (for about 15 minutes each) and see how your story changes/becomes clearer.
   • If you are being hard on yourself, practice self-compassion (see www.selfcompassionquiz.com)
   • Remember what a hero/coach/mentor said to you that encouraged you-especially when you are doubting yourself (post it somewhere)

1. For a Caring Community
   • Connect daily with someone
   • Identify Your Sources of Support
     • School________________________
     • Work_________________________
     • Community____________________
   • Practice good communication/conflict resolution skills

• Identify two skills and strategies you hope to develop or strengthen.
• A goal for each of the two skills that you hope to develop or strengthen. What will these skills help you achieve?
• Identify at least one way to help and support peers in your current classes and activities.