By Kristin Wyse
GCU Office of Student Care
#Askingforafriend
There are thousands of ways we can cope in life. Having healthy coping skills helps us stay healthy emotionally, physically and spiritually and have healthy relationships.
Here are 10 foundational ideas to build healthy coping skills that will connect you with …
Self:
- Learn what you love to do. Things that bring you joy can be as simple as taking a nap, watching a show, having a good workout or spending time with family or friends. Participating in these things regularly and consistently give you the energy and stamina for each new day.
- Try new things. Learning new interests or hobbies can be life-giving. Find a new passion that fills you up, one that you can do either by yourself or with someone else. Keep trying new things to keep life interesting and fun!
- Sit, relax and assess where you’re at. What does your body tell you? What does your mind tell you? What does your heart tell you? What are you needing? Remember, you need to take time to know yourself well so that you can take care of others well.
Others:
- Spend time with friends and family. Having and using a strong support system is critical to your success and healthy self-care. Having a group of people who you can lean on, laugh with and live life with helps keep you balanced and encouraged.
- Make deeper connections. Be vulnerable with those who are emotionally safe in your life. This is how you experience stronger relationships that help you endure life’s challenges.
- Find a mentor. Mentoring helps provide you with wisdom, encouragement and accountability. Having someone you can turn to for loving and nonjudgmental feedback helps you navigate through the rough times more effectively.
God:
- Talk to God. It’s easy to talk to your best friend. Talking to God can be just as easy. Chat with Him. Share about your day. He created us to be relational, and talking is the best way to deepen any relationship.
- Focus on God’s character. Read anything that reveals truth about God. Focus on a quote about God’s nature. Read an article that talks about how to apply our spiritual lives into our daily lives. Pick a three- to five-day devotional to read, even if it takes more than the 3-5 days.
- Be still with Him. Our society is geared toward instant gratification, multitasking and productivity. Stop, listen and wait. God does His greatest work in the waiting.
And finally:
- Be creative! Think outside the box. Mix it up. We are creatures of habit and lose sight of what’s most important if we’re not intentionally creating healthy self-care. Make those deposits into your “self-care account” to counteract the many withdrawals – good or bad – that we have in life. And have fun doing it!
