Healthier mind, healthier you
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As we prepare for the month ahead, we shine a light on mental health and aim to help strengthen the tools to bounce back from life’s curve balls and thrive in the face of adversity. Read on for eight expert tips for building resilience.
We all face pain and hardships. Whether it’s a career setback, breakup, or health scare, building resilience is crucial for navigating life’s challenges. While you can’t always control your initial reactions to tough situations, you can learn how to build resilience to help you recover and move through challenges faster. |
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During difficult times, it’s natural to feel disappointed or frustrated and worry about what’s to come. These emotions can be uncomfortable but they’re normal. Observe your thoughts and feelings without trying to change them or labeling them as good or bad. Pay attention to your physical sensations as well. Is your jaw tight? Are you clenching your shoulders? Noticing, identifying, and not judging signs of physical distress can help you accept what’s happened without having to approve of it so that it can pass.
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#2 Focus on what you can control |
When you think decisions are out of your hands, it can feel like you’re drifting. Focusing on what you can control and recognizing your ability to change course can be empowering. Building resilience can involve shifting your perspective. For example, you could respond to a negative performance review by recognizing that it doesn’t define your future success and reframing it as an opportunity for growth rather than a confirmation of failure. |
#3 Work toward a new goal |
Maybe you want to hone a new skill, find a different job, start dating again, or mend a relationship. Is there a hobby, cause, or interest you’ve neglected? Working toward a goal can help you refocus on your values and inspire you to move forward. |
Your attitude matters when you’re learning how to build resilience. Optimism is based on how we make sense of what happens to us. Some positive psychology researchers describe optimism as the three Ps: |
- Personalization – Acknowledge your efforts and successes and understand setbacks involve multiple factors.
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Pervasiveness – View setbacks as disappointing in one area of life rather than defining your identity.
- Permanence – Recognize hardships as temporary and changeable, focusing on positive qualities and potential for improvement.
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Building resilience isn’t something we tackle alone. Our connections with friends, family, and colleagues are important in helping us get through tough times. It’s not just having trusted people in our lives, it’s genuinely connecting with them so they can validate our attempts, reframe challenges, and encourage us. Asking for concrete types of support will help reduce ambiguity about how people can best help you and improve the chances that their attempts are worthwhile. |
Prioritizing self-care helps to reduce stress, enhance emotional well-being, and maintain a positive outlook. By investing in self-care practices like getting plenty of sleep and doing things you enjoy, you “fill your tank” so when tough times come around, you’re not facing them “on empty.” |
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Take advantage of the time off Crain provides. We want to ensure our employees have ample opportunities to relax and recharge. In addition to generous corporate holiday schedule, we offer a floating holiday, vacation and sick days - for the unexpected physical ailment, to prioritize your mental health, or to care of a sick child or family member. (Non-US based employee sick time is specific by country – please reach out to hr@crain.com with questions). Go to Workday to see your time off balances. Need help? Click here for the Workday How-To Guide.
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#7 Work on problem-solving skills |
Problem-solving skills empower us to tackle challenges and find solutions rather than feeling overwhelmed. Examples of problem-solving skills include breaking down complex issues into manageable steps and seeking different perspectives. Need some help doing this? A Lyra mental health coach or therapist can help you learn and build problem-solving skills for building resilience. Go to: https://crain.lyrahealth.com/ to get started. |
Talking to a mental health professional can be a powerful resilience strategy. Resilience doesn’t mean that you should be able to withstand major stressors without professional help. A therapist can help you address the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors fueling your distress and support you in building a life that’s defined by your goals and values, rather than by your adversity. For more information or to find a provider, visit: https://crain.lyrahealth.com/ to get started. |
Start your journey with our gratitude journal |
Gratitude is a simple yet important practice that can boost our mental health. Taking a few minutes each day to jot down things we're thankful for helps shift our focus toward what’s going well. Over time, journaling can help us embrace what we have and focus on the present. Click here to download your personalized journal today! |
Helping kids thrive: A parent’s guide to building emotional strength |
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Building resilience in children is similar to helping them develop strong muscles for their minds. Just as we exercise our bodies, kids can benefit from learning how to boost their mental strength and tackle challenges in healthy ways Resilience in children is cultivated through a combination of individual attributes, such as strong problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence, and external factors, like supportive relationships and positive experiences.
By fostering inner resolve, we can empower children to face life’s ups and downs with a healthy outlook and the tools they need to thrive. Click here for five tips to cultivate resilience in your young ones. |
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Upcoming webinars: Register today! |
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| Financial Footsteps: Getting it Right in Your 20s and 30s Workshop |
You’ve got a lot going on. Starting a job, paying taxes, getting married, buying a home, and everything in between. Navigate life events by developing good savings habits, managing student loans, and understanding your credit score. April 18, 2024 | 12 p.m. EST |
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RetireWise Workshop Series |
Building on our financial education offerings, we are adding RetireWise, a four-part virtual course open to all employees, spouses and partners. Regardless of age or career stage, you can take advantage of this free program to help you achieve your financial goals — because your future matters. From budgeting and tax strategies to determining your investment options and how to create a will, there's something for everyone to learn.
May 2, 16, 30 & June 6, 2024 | 12 p.m. EST |
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Are you feeling overworked? Overstimulated? Perhaps there are so many things going on that you don’t know where to start and just need a few minutes to just… be. If this sounds like you, this gathering is the right place for you. Join this space to practice the art of being fully present in the moment. Pause your daily activities and to-do list to engage in a mindfulness meditation activity. Rather than spending most of this time talking with other attendees, you will be encouraged to embrace stillness and slowness for 30 minutes to reorient yourself and be more present throughout the rest of your day.
This session will be offered twice at the following times: May 7, 17, 2024 | 12 p.m. PST |
To register for the event, click on the link above. You will be required to login in to Lyra Learn to register. If you haven’t created a Lyra Learn, you will need to create an account first before you can register for this webinar. Use the company code: #craincomm250 when creating your account. Once you are on the sign up page, go to the top right side of this screen, click ENROLL, and select this session’s name and the time you’d like to attend. |
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Have questions about our benefits at Crain? |
For US-based employees: Contact the Benefits Advocacy Center with questions or concerns regarding the topics below. They can be reached at bac.craincso@ajg.com or by calling (833) 830-1504. Hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST |
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