Building Inner Strength
Keeping it together – and even growing stronger – during times of stress.
Raising a family is stressful. Staying strong and flexible when things get tough can help you guide your family through challenges. Knowing how to tap into that inner strength builds parental resilience. Parental resilience means managing your feelings, solving problems with a clear head, taking care of yourself and sheltering your kids, even when things are difficult.
Inner Strength can look like…
Taking a breath or counting to 10 before you react
Taking time to recharge
Staying flexible when things don’t go as planned
Taking a breath or counting to 10 before you react
Taking time to recharge
Staying flexible when things don’t go as planned
Hear From Parents
Ask Yourself…
There are no right answers. Thinking about these questions can help you understand your family’s strengths.
Everyone has an inner voice. The way we think and feel about our daily experiences is called self-talk, and it can be helpful or harmful. Being your own worst critic can damage your self-confidence and can fuel depression. But when that inner voice is positive, you are more likely to feel empowered. When you have negative thoughts, be kind to yourself—just like you’d support someone else—and seek out strategies that help you cope. Back to Question Sometimes the connection we feel to our kids or the message that we hear from family, friends and even the media makes us feel guilty about getting away. But taking some guilt-free time away from your family responsibilities is a healthy choice for you and your kids. Deliberately set time aside for yourself. Just a few minutes of regular relaxation can go a long way toward building your inner strength. Back to Question It’s hard to avoid the self-blame game, especially when you feel pressured to be a perfect parent. Instead of obsessing about what you think you’ve done wrong or could have done differently, focus on the steps you can take to guide and support your child. Letting go of blame, focusing on your child’s needs and moving forward builds your inner strength—and your child’s. Back to QuestionTry This
Now that you understand the Five Strengths and why they are important for all families, you may want to explore more about how you can recognize and build them for your own family. Explore the ideas and exercises below, or go to the Next Steps page to find resources that can help guide you as you explore what to look for, where to learn more and what you can do to build each of the Five Strengths.
Boost Your Inner Strength
Guiding your family through tough times can feel overwhelming. While there is no magic formula, there are things you can do to increase your ability to cope.
Acknowledge feelings: Consider what you’re feeling, why and how it is affecting your life.
Be kind to yourself: Have confidence in your ability to manage stress and find solutions.
Remember your strengths: Build your confidence by thinking about how you have overcome past challenges.
Make a plan: Even if the options are limited, planning your next steps can be helpful.
Reducing Stress
Every parent has times when it is difficult to shake feelings of anxiety or stress. Trying to decrease these feelings can boost your inner strength so you can focus on meeting your child’s needs—and your own.
Get physical: Dance, jump, walk. Physical activity is a proven stress reliever.
Use scent: Surround yourself with your favorite relaxing scent from candles, flowers or baking.
Find a positive distraction: Tune out troubling thoughts with your favorite music or a movie.
Enjoy nature: Spending time in an outdoor setting can be very soothing.
Growing Your Child’s Inner Strength
Learning how to cope with setbacks helps kids grow and prepare for future challenges. You can help your child get through difficult experiences and develop their inner strength.
Pause and listen: Let kids process experiences before jumping in and fixing things.
Talk about it: Ask kids how challenges make them feel. Don’t interrupt. Repeat your understanding of what they say.
Look for positives: Problem solve together. Try to identify any good that may come from a challenge.
Seek support: Know when your family is overwhelmed, and seek help from a professional, like a doctor or counselor.