How to Build Better Coping Skills for Life's More Turbulent Moments
By Lynne Fuller, Founder of College Flight Path
Life is full of unexpected obstacles, and it can feel like we are constantly navigating through a landscape peppered with speed bumps. Whether you are a high school or college student, you will likely encounter academic pressures, social dynamics, and personal challenges that can trigger stress and anxiety. But by developing coping skills, you can learn to navigate these obstacles with grace and resilience.
Coping skills are like a personal toolkit that empowers you to handle stress and adversity in healthy ways. These skills can be emotional, cognitive, and behavioral tools that enable you to manage your thoughts, feelings, and actions when faced with challenging situations.
For example, practicing mindfulness can help you remain present and calm during stress, while regular exercise can boost your physical and mental well-being. Effective problem-solving skills can help you navigate academic and personal challenges, and healthy habits and self-care routines can help you maintain a sense of balance and well-being.
Developing coping skills requires self-awareness and self-reflection. You need to ask yourself questions like, "What are my stress tells?" and "How do I usually respond in moments of stress?" Use box breathing techniques where you breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and then hold for four seconds. Imagine a square in your mind that you are moving through. Special Operations teams use this to reset their nervous system when they are in moments of stress. Check it out here and practice with Dr. Jo!
By recognizing your patterns and habits, you can start to reshape them in healthy, positive ways. Additionally, seeking support from friends, family, mentors, and counselors can be a valuable source of guidance and encouragement. They can provide you with a listening ear, help you explore your options, and offer practical advice and solutions. Think about who are on your board of directors and ask yourself who is on your team including a person you take your friendship conflicts to, who do you take your academic struggles to, who you take your financial struggles to, who you take your relationship struggles to — all should offer a great listening ear and good advice.
When facing specific challenges, it is important to reflect on the experience, make adjustments to your strategy moving forward, and take stock of these lessons. For example, if you receive a less-than-stellar grade, you can ask yourself what you can learn from the experience and how you can improve your study habits. It would be wise to engage the help of your teachers/professor, the school’s tutoring (math, writing) center, support from an older sibling, and even online sources for help. With this said, the support of appropriate acceptable AI platforms that are approved by your educational system can also provide you with the study notes and outlines to keep moving forward.
When facing setbacks like not getting into a college or achieving an internship opportunity, it is important to review your other options and redirect your energy toward other equally fulfilling opportunities. Sadly, “no” is a common occurrence in the college process, but learning how to receive answers of “yes”, “no”, and “maybe” is essential. These answers are not judgments of you or your ability; often, institutional priorities dictate what is happening when they are building a class or the employer has already fulfilled a position. Think about how you can adjust your resume, look into building additional skills or experience that you would become that top candidate the next time by seeking constructive feedback from career services and other professionals in the field.
If you did not land your dream internship or job, you can reassess your approach and refine your strategies. Reflect on your LinkedIn profile, consider pumping up your resume, updating your ATS-compliant resume, practice your interviewing skills with a coach, go to networking events, and keep applying. These steps will help you maximize your job prospects!
Ultimately, building coping skills is about cultivating resilience and inner strength. It is about recognizing that life's speed bumps are an inevitable part of the journey and learning to navigate them with confidence and grace.
By prioritizing your mental and emotional well-being, seeking support when you need it, and practicing healthy coping mechanisms, you can build the skills you need to weather any storm and keep moving forward. Identifying your purpose and pursuing those goals while building your skills is the best way to achieve your dreams and help you bounce back when a little turbulence hits the skies. To learn more about building your coping skills or any other college questions, email hello@collegeflightpath.com or fill out our onboarding form to access a free call by clicking here.
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