Life can unfortunately deal you some pretty serious blows from time to time. You might even be going through numerous difficulties at once and be feeling down in the doldrums. It's important to know that you are not alone, and you don't need to go through all this by yourself. There are several ways to receive help and the tools to persevere in the face of adversity. Keep reading for advice on how to build up a resilient mind and persist despite struggles.

Allow Yourself to Get the Help You Need

Perhaps the most important step you can take in this journey is to admit if you need help. There can be unhealthy stigma around seeking necessary assistance. You may have even been told that it's weak to do so. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Strength is knowing when you can't go through a challenge by yourself and receiving help with grace. There's nothing wise about bottling up your problems until they break you and leave you worse than you began.

But what kind of help is out there? Fortunately, there are a lot of resources to use in today's age. Therapy is a great option to talk through your struggles and receive guidance on how to tackle them in a healthy manner. It's like being coached at how to better play the game of life, all while learning strategies to lift some weight off your shoulders.

For those who have carried burdens for a while, it's easy to turn to something that will numb the pain. Whether that's drink or drugs, inpatient treatment for substance abuse can be a life-changing, positive experience that'll get you back on your feet. In these spaces, you're given the tools to prosper without the damaging substance that's doing more harm than good. You'll be able to develop the resilience to overcome challenges without unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Build a Support System

Fending for yourself can sometimes be extremely difficult, especially depending on the severity of the situation. Additionally, humans are social creatures, meaning we naturally crave relationships with others. This also means that we tend to rely on others to help us get through difficult scenarios. None of these feelings are a bad thing — they just show your humanity.

However, having friends and having good friends are two starkly different circumstances. Friends who encourage you to do the wrong thing or who aren't supportive of your wellbeing are only going to bring you down. These relationships will add negativity to your life and make building your emotional resilience even harder.

Having positive, encouraging friendships is necessary to help better yourself and your state of mind. Find quality friends who are willing to help you during the worst case scenarios. These kinds of people will cheer you on as you fight your toughest battles. They're always willing to lend a listening ear or offer a shoulder to cry on. Having such a support system can be therapeutic and make facing hardships seem less difficult.

Engage in Mindfulness

Another way to improve your emotional resilience is to engage with your feelings. A healthy strategy to do this is by practicing mindfulness, which involves being aware of your emotions. There are several mindfulness exercises out there to use, including journaling, meditating, and breathing exercises.

These techniques are all about helping you process what you feel — whether it's in reaction to a stressor or just how you feel that day. Every mindfulness strategy involves taking a moment to survey your emotional state in a quiet, calm way. With meditation and breathing, you use a physically relaxing element while you think and reflect. With journaling, you can write down what comes to mind when thinking about your feelings.

Additionally, mindfulness can help you better understand yourself and why you feel a certain way at a certain time. It's hard to get through a difficult time when you don't understand what your emotional needs are. Instead, when you effectively address your emotions, you set out on the path to bettering yourself.

Set New Goals

Part of building up your resilience is setting goals to pursue in life. Having something to work toward and look forward to can be a highly effective motivational tool. This can also give you a sense of renewed purpose for your life, which is necessary for that motivation to be effective.

These goals can take many shapes, from educational, personal, or work-related. Just remember to make sure they're something you can control. For example, getting that promotion at work is out of your hands, so it isn't really an effective goal to set. Try something you have more control over, like meeting a quota or raising your sales. For school, this could be improving your grades or graduating. Personal goals could be effectively using healthy coping mechanisms or addressing a fear.

To make these goals more attainable, try starting out small and progressing into bigger mile markers. For example, you're not going to be perfect at implementing coping mechanisms, especially not in the beginning. Start by simply remembering to use a technique in the moment of stress or anxiety. Then you can progress into addressing the stressor at the root, little by little.

It Takes Time

Just like working out your body, you're not going to see results instantly. It takes time and effort to shape muscles and burn fat. Similarly in your mind, it will also take time and effort to get yourself in a healthier headspace. Give yourself grace, set reasonable expectations, and remember that you're going to hit bumps along the road and make mistakes. It's all worth it in the end, and you'll be forever grateful you gave yourself a chance.