Instructions

This assignment is intended to get you to reflect on all the resilience concepts, practices, and skills covered in this course. It is
entirely up to you to construct your own resilience plan for the future. This assignment is broken up into two main sections. The
first section will have you go through each of the seven lessons in which we discussed resilience concepts, practices, and skills
and complete reflective ratings that indicate whether you plan on continuing to use the particular resilience concept, practice, or
skill. Specifically, you will mark yes, maybe or no as to whether you plan on continuing to focus on the particular resilience
concept, practice or skill. The second section will have you write a summary that clarifies why it is important for you to become a
resilient person and provides a brief discussion of your plan to continue to strive to become a resilient person.
Ultimately, this resilience plan will provide you with a roadmap of the concepts, practices, and skills that you can continue to
integrate in your life. At any point, you can come back to this plan to remind yourself of the essential ingredients to becoming a
resilient person. Dont base your responses on what you think other people want you to say. Rather, this is your chance to truly
reflect on what resilience means to you and what you plan on doing to become a resilient person. So, go forth and be true and
honest to yourself as you reflect on each of the lessons and develop your personalized resilience plan for the future.

Section One: Reflective Ratings

Values Clarification and Commitment
Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Develop value statements in the different life domains (that is, clarify your values in the different
areas in liferelationships, work/career, leisure, self-care)

Periodically reflect on values to examine the extent to which Im living consistent or inconsistent with
my values.
Seek to uncover barriers that are interfering with your ability to engage in behaviors that are
consistent with your values.

Identify values-directed behaviors and commit to engaging in them despite unwanted thoughts,
feelings or experiences (that is, being the person you want to be even when it is the hard thing to do)

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Awareness and Empowerment through Mindfulness-Based Practices

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Strive to become aware of my tendency to behave mindlessly by going on autopilot, ruminating on
past stressors, or projecting worry into the future.
Developing present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness through purposeful awareness, receptive
attitude, and intentionality
Cultivate mindfulness by using specific mindfulness-based practices, including the following:
o Mindful Breathing
o Mindful STOP

o Mindful Eating

o Mindful Daily Routines

o Mindful Commute

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Choosing Your Attention and Practicing Gratitude

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Notice my natural tendency to pay more attention to the bad in self, others, and experiences than
the good.
Purposefully train my attention to pay attention to the positive by doing the following:
o Finding the silver lining

o Intentionally focusing on the positive characteristics in others

o Identifying Positive Go-To Staples that you can turn to in any moment

Intentionally practicing gratitude to develop an appreciation for life by doing the following:
o Once a week gratitude journaling
o Thank you notes to life

o Periodic gratitude letters

o Periodic gratitude visits

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Managing Negative Emotions and Cultivating Positive Ones

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Work on developing a greater sense of emotional awareness so negative emotions dont get the best
of me and I do things on purpose to experience positive emotions.
Use strategies to manage intense negative emotions so I minimize the amount of regrettable
behaviors I exhibit.
o Simply identify, label, and quantify negative emotion

o Practice specific relaxation strategies (diaphragmatic breathing, guided imagery, progressive

muscle relaxation)
o Use distraction tactics
o Engage in self-soothing tactics when experiencing negative emotions
o Use positive self-talk to combat negative emotions

Strive to maintain a 3-to-1 ratio of positive to negative emotions by:

o Engage in activities to experience flow
o Engage in kind acts for others

o Deliberately focus on the small positive things that are constantly right in front of our faces
o Connecting with others in meaningful ways to play, laugh, and experience joy

o Practice gratitude to develop a heart felt sense of appreciation about the gifts that life provides

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Connecting with Others in Meaningful Ways

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Work on developing and establishing resilient relationships in order to connect with others in
meaningful ways that will facilitate my well-being.
Seek and provide good social support from others

Identify a mentor who can help me continue to develop

Intentionally do good deeds for others by:
o Volunteering

o Random daily acts of kindness

Identify good role models that inspire me to be better

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Eating Well, Exercising, and Engaging in Good Sleep

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Focus on nurturing my body so I feel good physically, which in turn helps me feel perform better
mentally and reduces the impact of stress.
Exercise on a regular basis to reap physical and mental health benefits by:
o Striving for at least of 2 hours of moderate aerobic exercise per week

o On at least two occasions during the week, doing weight-bearing exercise for all major muscle
groups
Engage in good sleep habits by:

o Adopting healthy habits before going to bed (that is, reduce amount of stimulation, limit caffeine,
no exercise at least two hours before bed, develop a bedtime routine)
o Creating an optimal sleep environment

o Meditating when necessary to combat cognitive hyperactivity (that is, a racing mind)
Eat well by:

o Balanced diet sustainable diet

o Plenty of fruits and vegetables

o Getting protein from a variety of sourcesnot only red meat

o Limiting sugar and salt intake

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Other Therapeutic Lifestyle Choices (TLCs)

Concepts, Practices, or Skills I Can Choose to Apply in My Life
Even though it is challenging in todays day and age, making healthy living choices that enhance my
resilience mentally and physically
Choosing to spend time in nature and green spaces to renew and restore, develop a sense of awe,
and reduce the stress associated with fast-paced living.

Scheduling time in my life for recreation and leisure in order to tap into positive emotions like fun,
happiness, play, joy, etc.
Scheduling time during the week to hit the relaxation response in order to let my body rejuvenate
and offset the impact of any stress.

Engage in spiritual and religious practices that are devoted to love, forgiveness, self-empowerment,
and compassion.

Reflective Rating
Yes
Maybe
No

Section Two: Write a summary in your own words that explains why it is important to you to become a resilient person. Also,
provide a discussion of your plan to become a resilient person that borrows from the reflective ratings you completed above.