The path to resilienceHave you ever been the victim of an accident that changed your life? Have you ever contracted a potentially deadly virus? Have you ever experienced something that changed your life forever? Recovering from one of these experiences can be very difficult. One must move forward and use positive thinking to be able to overcome such life-changing experiences. We need to build resilience. Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress, such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or work stressors and financial (apa.org). It means “bouncing back” after difficult experiences (apa.org). Having a life-changing experience should not stop a person from living their life. You must always keep moving forward, even if it may seem difficult. We must also try to be more optimistic by looking on the bright side of things. According to the American Psychological Association website, there are 10 different ways to build resilience. These 10 ways are to make connections, avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems, accept that change is a part of life, move towards your goals, take decisive action, seek out opportunities for self-discovery, to maintain a positive view of yourself, to keep things in place. Perspective, Stay Hopeful, Take Care of Yourself, and Additional Ways to Build Resilience May Help (apa.org). In my opinion, three of the ten different ways to build resilience are more important: building connections, avoiding seeing crises as insurmountable problems, and accepting that change is a part of life. Building connections is very important. Having good relationships with family and friends is always a good thing from the age of 19. “Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges. The meninges are the collective name for the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), called the dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater. The main function of the meninges, alongside the cerebrospinal fluid, is to protect the central nervous system” (Nordqvist). Bibliography (nd). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx(nd). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/people/personal-story/bob-sAlbrecht, B. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/09/vietnam_pow_robert_shumaker_sp.htmlNordqvist, C. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9276.phpShumaker, B. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-shumaker/this-emotional-life-my-li_b_404905.html