Mental resilience refers to the ability to bounce back from an emotional challenge with mental health intact. It is an essential skill on any job site, as clocking in can be difficult without mental strength. But mental resilience isn’t an inherent skill—it’s learned. You can steadily increase your mental resilience by practicing optimism, eating well, using compassion, and finding an outlet for your frustration.

7 ways to cultivate mental resilience

1. Foster connection

Connecting with others isn’t just fun—it also leads to science-based mental health improvements. Social connections release oxytocin, which reduces stress and calms your mind. And we don’t just gain these benefits when we’re on the receiving end. When we go out of our way to actively support others (learning about them, checking in on them, lifting them), that also stimulates the release of oxytocin. 

Practice kindness, empathy, and optimism when you try to connect more with others.

2. Be optimistic

Certain hardships can make it difficult to focus on the positive, but optimists have a unique reflexive ability to rapidly disengage from unchangeable issues and hardships. Knowing when to cut your losses and redirect your focus is mental resilience in a nutshell. 

The more you actively practice focusing on the positive, the quicker it will become a default. It’s all about balancing the positive with the realistic, so shift your thinking and watch your mental health improve. 

3. Find an outlet

Sometimes, life’s pressures slowly build up until you eventually notice it’s too much to bear. At this point, when you need to let loose, finding a healthy outlet to do that is vital. 

Everyone’s go-to outlet for stress relief looks different. You might meditate, listen to loud music, hit the gym, or vent in your journal. What they all have in common is that they all provide mental distraction, reduce stress hormones, and even sometimes relieve muscle tension. 

4. Eat well

Many people forget that how you fuel your body can impact your mental state. By choosing varied, nutrient-packed meals, you’ll have more physical energy throughout the day—and you may also notice increased mental clarity. 

Serotonin, aka the “happiness hormone,” is produced primarily in the gut. When our gut microbiome is supported with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins, nuts and seeds, and legumes, your body has the building blocks to produce feel-good hormones.

These nutrient-packed foods support our mental health via the gut-brain axis. Specific probiotic strains can also produce compounds that support stress reduction and mental health.

Pro tip: Tryptohan-rich foods like tofu, edamame, fish and seafood, poultry, quinoa, and oats are some of the best foods to support serotonin production.

5. Practice compassion 

Practicing compassion is perhaps the simplest thing on our list, but it’s not just an outwardly kind thing to do—it’s also a way to treat your brain kindly. 

When faced with difficult situations, fear and anxiety present themselves, but the urge to care for others does, too. Knowing you’re offering support to someone else gives you the same conflict-resolution feeling of reassurance as when you are supported. 

6. Move your body

Exercise is a simple way to trigger the release of endorphins, which can immediately boost your mood. However, moving your body daily can also have positive long-term mental benefits.

Consistent exercise supports the production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain while increasing neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons in the brain). Going back to our earlier point about happiness starting with the gut, exercising also helps with gut balance and regularity. 

The beauty is that you don’t have to start an intense workout routine—even a daily brisk walk (outside of movement at your job) is enough to promote mental health benefits. 

7. Utilize mental health counseling

If you need additional mental and resilience support, direct counseling might be the right option for you. 

Some options include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, behavioral activation, and brain stimulation therapy, but others may offer more benefits. 

Talking with a professional counselor can help determine which therapy will improve your mental health and resilience. 

Why mental resilience matters

Nobody wants to get stuck in a cycle of grief, pain, or mental anguish. It can interfere with your productivity, relationship-forming, and overall well-being. And for trade workers, being stuck in a mentally tough place can also be dangerous. Many elements of the job site require you to be aware and focused to prevent accidents and injuries. 

Mental resilience also matters because your overall mental health is essential. Not taking care of your mental state is just as bad as neglecting your physical health, and a crisis could be dire. 

Bottom line

Physical toughness is often praised in the trades, but mental toughness is overlooked. Mental resilience is critical since you can’t brute-force yourself out of every difficult situation. 

By following our simple tips and remembering to break down the internal mental health stigma, you’ll be sure to harness the resilience to face anything on the job. 
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