Primary writer: Brooke Kenwright Resilience

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Resilience
What is resilience?
Where do I belong?
Self-esteem
Balanced thinking
Coping

Assessment task: Bouncing back

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What is resilience?
Resilience is our ability to cope with the ups and downs of life. When we are going through hard times or have suffered a
disappointment it is natural to feel upset and experience a whole range of emotions. Resilient people will be able to work
through their feelings and recover from this event and continue to live life to its fullest. Those with low resilience may find it
very difficult to ‘bounce back’ and the event may begin to have a negative impact on other aspects of their life.
Resilience is something that can be improved by thinking about how we view ourselves and the world around us. We can
also develop strategies to help us to cope when things are not going to plan.

Where do I belong?
It is important for young people to feel a sense of belonging in at least one area of their lives. This could be at home with
the family, at school or with community groups.

Exploring trust
1 In the first column of the table provided make a list of all the places where you feel safe and a sense
of belonging.

2 In the second column list any adults who are at these places or involved in those activities that you
trust and feel comfortable with.

Places I feel safe … Adults I trust …

Home Mum

Skatepark Dad

School Some of my Teachers

3 What qualities do the people you listed in the table share that make them trustworthy?

My parents raised me so I trust them naturaly. I learned to trust my primary school teachers, and I'm now learning to
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trust my high school teachers.
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Self-esteem

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In order for us to develop our resilience we need to first
look at how we feel about ourselves and how we feel
when we are doing certain activities. We may have high
self-esteem in some areas of our lives and low self-esteem
in others. There are a few areas that we can work on to
help to improve our own self-esteem.

Positive self-talk
We are often our own worst enemies and find it very
easy to put ourselves down. How often have you said to
yourself ‘I’m so stupid’ or worse? If we are able to turn
seemingly negative situations into positive ones in our
mind, then our whole attitude towards the activity or
situation will change. After all, we are only human and we should forgive ourselves for making some mistakes!
Look at the situations below and write down the positive and encouraging things that the characters could say to
themselves.

Exploring positive self-talk

1 Sally misses a set shot from the free throw line in basketball. She says to herself that she is hopeless
and that there is no way she will get the next shot in.

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2 Adam gets a D on his maths test. He says to himself that he has a terrible teacher and that is the
reason he received a low grade.

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3 Lauren decides not to bother buying a new top for the party as she believes she will still look awful.

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4 Cameron forgot that he was supposed to catch the bus home tonight and he now has to wait 45
minutes for the next bus. He says to himself that he must only have half a brain to be so silly and
forgetful.

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Accepting compliments
Accepting a compliment can be much harder than it sounds. We not only often find it easier to say negative things to
ourselves, but we ignore the positive things that others are saying to us. Society has incorrectly taught us that accepting a
compliment makes you vain. In reality accepting a compliment is taking credit for the good things about ourselves and helps
us to be a balanced and positive person.

Analysing compliments
Turn to the person next to you and pay them a compliment.

1 How does the person react to the compliment? What do they say?

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2 How do you react to being given a compliment? What do you say?

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If your first comment when you received the compliment was to brush it off as nothing special, joke around about it or
declare that it was not true, then you are having trouble accepting a compliment. Accepting compliments can take time to
get used to, especially if you are someone who is not used to hearing positive things about yourself.

3 Turn to your partner and give them another compliment. Think of ways in which you can accept the
compliment and feel comfortable in doing so. In the space below write a list of positive responses that
we could give when we receive a compliment.

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Recognising our strengths

Every single one of us has a number of strengths. We may use our strengths on a regular basis without even realising that
they are strengths of ours. Each of us will have different strengths in different areas and it is how we use these that can
determine our success at a given task.

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Evaluating strengths
1 From the list below circle five to ten (no more than ten) areas that you think you are strong in.

Diligent Honest Genuine Intelligent Brave Energetic

Leader Open-mind Teamwork Loyal Self-control Kind
Hope Optimistic Cooperative Generous Loving Fair
Enthusiastic Caution Discrete Forgiving Curious Polite
Creative Humble Learner Perspective Humour Listener
Artistic Musical Sporty Dependable Considerate Grateful
Hard worker Healthy Daring Calm Supportive Modest

2 From the areas you circled, rank what you consider to be your top five strengths from 1 (strongest) to 5.

1 _____________________________ 2 _____________________________

3 _____________________________ 4 _____________________________

5 _____________________________

3 Explain why you have chosen your top five strengths and what it is about you that makes you strong
in these areas. Provide examples of when you have used these strengths, or when you could use these
strengths, in your daily life.

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Balanced thinking
Pessimistic versus optimistic
Most people like to be able to explain the events that have occurred in their lives. In doing so, they tend to lean towards
either an optimistic or pessimistic view of the world.
Those who are optimistic tend to be more positive, even about the bad events that can happen in life. They are hopeful
about the future and often let negative events pass them by. On the other hand, pessimists are more likely to expect that
things will turn out poorly. Sometimes they will also end up blaming themselves for the bad events in their life.
In a world where bad things can and do happen, it can be easy to feel a pessimistic approach is more realistic. However,
when someone is only seeing the negatives about themselves and blaming themselves for mistakes that have occurred, it
can be very damaging to their self-esteem.
There is no right or wrong way to look at the world, but those who are more optimistic tend to have more resilience.

Applying optimism
John has just been chosen by both his teachers and peers to be the class captain.

1 Fill in the following table with examples of how John might explain this event in his life if he was an
optimist or a pessimist.

Optimist Pessimist

2 Think about all the things that you have done or been part of in the past 24 hours. In the space below
write down three good things that have happened to you in that time (e.g. had a nice lunchtime with
my friends). Explain why or how these good things occurred.

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3 Did you find this activity easy or difficult to complete? Explain your answer.

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Breaking the cycle

When events in our lives do not seem to be going right, even the most optimistic person can get caught in a negative mind-
set. This might happen when something really big happens, or it could creep up on us after a series of disappointments.
Breaking this cycle of negative thinking can be difficult and nobody is expected to be positive all of the time. Being balanced
in our thinking allows us to see things from another viewpoint and allows us to gain some perspective on the situation.

Managing negativity
In order to challenge your negative thoughts you could start by asking yourself the following questions:
• Is there any evidence to support this idea?
• Is there a reason why I should question this idea?
• What would I say to my best friend if they had this thought or idea?

1 Think of the last negative thought you had about yourself and answer these three questions in
relation to that thought.

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Coping
Each of us has a different way of coping when we are stressed, anxious or feeling down. The questions in the previous
section can help us to alter our thoughts, but this can take practice.

Identifying coping strategies

Answer the following questions:

1 What do you do to relax? (e.g. read a book, watch sport)

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2 When you are stressed or upset, what do you do to calm yourself down?

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There are many things that we can do when we feel like things are out of control. Go to the following website
<mea.digital/FB_RE1> and participate in the breathing activity that can be used to control stress.

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Listed below are some ways in which people deal with their stress:
•

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Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Meditation
• Plenty of sleep
• Balanced diet
• Exercise
• Talk to someone they trust
• Think positive
• Be creative
• Set goals
• Do something they enjoy
• Be organised
Choose two of the methods to research and answer the following questions:

Option 1: _________________________________________________________________________________________

1 How does this method reduce stress and help people to cope with the challenges they are facing?

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2 Is this a method that could work for you? Explain why/why not?

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Option 2: _________________________________________________________________________________________

3 How does this method reduce stress and help people to cope with the challenges they are facing?

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4 Is this a method that could work for you? Explain why/why not.

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5 Revisit the list of coping strategies and use these, plus any extra ideas that you may have, to develop a
Coping Toolbox that you can access when you feel stressed or out of control. Share your ideas with a
partner to see if they have other strategies that you may find effective.

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To cope and be resilient in our everyday lives we need to accept that life and growing up is full of challenges. These
challenges will sometimes result in setbacks and disappointments, but we need to remember that these incidents are only
temporary. You have the power to believe in yourself and to take control of the situation by working to develop solutions.
Remember to take some time to relax and enjoy yourself and that there are people out there to support you and help when
you are in need.

6 Make a list of all the places you can go to for support.

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Reviewing coping strategies

People who cope well with stress often participate in physical activity and are members of various groups and organisations.
In groups of four, think about the groups or activities that are available at your school. List them below.

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Grab some blank pieces of paper and have a brainstorming session to share ideas about what else could be offered within
your school to help students cope with the daily pressures they face.
Choose one of these activities and develop a plan outlining its benefits and how it could be introduced into your school.
Share your proposals with your class and hold a class vote to see which one is the most popular activity.
Now put it into action—your teacher will work with the class to get the chosen proposal up and running. This may involve
activities such as discussing your ideas with the principal or student council; advertising the new activity throughout the
school; and organising a roster of who will help run the activity and when.

How does it make you feel?

Throughout history music has been used to express ideas and feelings, and as a result it can make us feel a number of
emotions including happiness, sadness and motivation.
As a class, discuss some songs that fit into these categories.
In groups of four, choose one of these songs and choreograph a short dance (30 secs) that expresses what the music means
to you. Your teacher will discuss with you how much time you will be provided in class to choose a song and choreograph
your dance sequence.
Each group will perform their sequence to their class. The performance will conclude with an explanation of the type of
dance moves chosen and how this reflected the theme of the music.

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Evaluating ideas about resilience

Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1910)

1 Describe three examples of resilience in the poem.

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2 How do the ideas you have learnt in this unit differ from the ideas presented in the poem?

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3 Would the poem be different if it was written this year instead? Explain your conclusion.

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4 Starting with the word ‘If’, write five lines of poetry explaining your approach to resilience.

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Assessment task: Bouncing back

Name: Class:

Monitoring date: Due date:

First aid kit design

1 Design a first aid kit in order to lower stress and increase coping reserves in young people.

Include the following types of material:

• Reading: such as an inspirational poem or a series of positive quotations

• Hearing: such as a podcast or ambient music

• Watching: such as a print or movie that features positive themes about overcoming adversity

• Eating: such as a healthy snack or drink

• Smelling: such as a scented candle

• Feeling: such as a stress ball.

Package your kit in an environmentally friendly and professional design with a name and logo. Support your kit with a one
page description explaining why you chose each item.

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Marking guidelines
Criteria Marks

First aid kit design

For each of the six types of material, selects an appropriate example 1–6

Designs packaging that is appropriate, environmentally friendly and visually appealing. 1–3

Subtotal /9

Overview
For each of the six types of material:

Provides a clear description of how this could assist with reducing stress levels. (2 marks) 2–12
Provides a simple description of how this could assist with reducing stress levels. (1 mark) 1–6

Subtotal /12

TOTAL /21

Student’s comments:

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Teacher’s comments:

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