When faced with challenges that shake you to your core, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, lost, and helpless. The emotions that arise during these times can be difficult to navigate, and if you don’t take control of them, they can end up controlling you. The way you deal with your emotions shapes every aspect of your life, so it’s important to build emotional resilience and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Emotional resilience is the art of living through which we empower ourselves to perceive adversities as temporary and keep evolving through the pain. In today’s unpredictable world, emotional resilience is the fuel that allows you to bounce back from life’s blows. Resilient people are always thinking about how they can bounce forward when life knocks them down. They find positive meaning in seemingly negative events, and they are constantly growing and evolving.

So, how can you build emotional resilience and become a master of your emotions? Here are 13 strategies to help you become more emotionally resilient:

1. Quiet your mind. Mindfulness meditation is an excellent tool for calming your mind and being more present with your thoughts. When you can find stillness amidst the chaos of life, you will be better able to manage difficult emotions when they arise.

2. Accept what is. Acceptance is the first step to overcoming anything. It takes resilience to look at our reality and admit that things aren’t okay. When bad things happen, your response may be to go into fix mode. However, that option isn’t always going to be available to you right away. Sometimes, you’ve got to sit with your feelings and be willing to receive whatever comes up.

3. Be willing to look at the mess. It’s easier to find ways to suppress or ignore uncomfortable feelings. However, if you don’t give yourself the time and space to process difficult emotions, they only stay stuck in your body and become toxic. Acknowledge the mess and listen to what it is trying to tell you.

4. Make self-care a priority. Self-care is a lifestyle that is comprised of daily self-love habits. Over time, these habits become non-negotiable. Your emotional and physical health are connected to one another.

5. Surround yourself with positivity. Positive people can have a profound impact on your life. They can provide you with support, encouragement, and motivation to keep moving forward. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and help you grow.

6. Set boundaries. Setting boundaries is essential for building resilience. It’s important to know what you are and are not willing to tolerate. When you set boundaries, you protect yourself from toxic relationships and situations.

7. Practice gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful tool for building resilience. When you focus on what you are grateful for, you create a positive energy that can help you get through difficult times.

8. Develop a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that you can learn and grow through challenges. It’s the opposite of a fixed mindset, which is the belief that you are born with certain abilities and that they cannot be changed.

9. Take care of your body. Your physical health is just as important as your emotional health. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep can help you build resilience.

10. Practice self-compassion. Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and compassionate towards yourself. It’s about treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend.

11. Stay connected. Staying connected to others is an important part of building emotional resilience. It’s important to have a support system that you can turn to during difficult times.

12. Practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is an important part of building resilience. Holding onto anger and resentment can be toxic and can prevent you from moving forward. Forgiveness is about releasing yourself from that negativity.

13. Keep things in perspective. It’s important to keep things in perspective and not to let difficult emotions overwhelm you. Remember, this too shall pass.

Building emotional resilience takes time and practice. It’s important to be patient with yourself and to give yourself the time and space you need to process difficult emotions. With practice, you can develop healthy coping mechanisms that will help you navigate life’s challenges with grace and resilience. Remember, when you operate from a state of resilience, you are no longer living from a place of survival. Instead, you are thriving.