First Responder Resiliency
What is resiliency? I mean, we are hearing about it so much now in the first responder world, articles, social media posts, this blog post, and there are even specialized resiliency coaches now. The dictionary definition of resiliency is “the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties.”, but what does that mean for someone on the front lines? Let’s answer that question in a holistic manner based on my training as a health coach.
The image below is from my health coach training at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the integrative nutrition plate. On that plate are some of the answers to the question above and it is not just about the food you eat. An important component of being resilient is about finding a way to maintain balance in your life, especially if your chosen career is as hectic as it is in the first responder world.
Generally speaking, the more balanced your life is, the healthier you typically are. Finding balance in life has become increasingly difficult no matter what your career is. Free time is much less than in the past which will impact everything listed on your life’s integrative plate. In order to fit everything in, or fit in the things you deem most important in your life, short cuts are considered; processed easy to fix meals replace whole foods, physical activity decreases or disappears altogether, less attention is given to important relationships, well you get the picture.
Remember the definition of resiliency, “withstand or recover quickly from difficulties.” To withstand or recover requires fuel to do so, fuel for the body and the mind. Whole Foods, plenty of water, healthy physical activity, which does not necessarily mean you need to spend hours in the gym, it could mean beach volleyball, taking a hike, kayaking, biking, etc. Tending to the relationships that are most important to you and when with those people, being present and not distracted.
Fuel for resilience can also come from your chosen career. If being a Paramedic, or a firefighter, or police officer, is something that inspires you and you get joy out of doing, that can help build resiliency. If however, you find yourself dreading going to work, complaining all the time about your job, or not being able to focus on or find the passion that drove you to your career in the first place, it may be time to seek guidance or support.
Finally, lets talk about spirituality, which does not have to mean being devoutly religious, or religious at all. My spirituality is expressed through my connection to nature. When I am in the woods, I feel connected to something that is bigger than me and that gives me peace. Others have expressed spirituality through their practice of martial arts, wood carving, and yoga. Whatever it is that you do that gives you that feeling of connection to what you define as your deepest values, have at it, and yes, that could be religion if that is important to you.
Supporting resiliency requires providing nutrition to mind and body. Nutrition is not just whole foods, the other items on your plate are equally important and when one is missing, the plate is not balanced. How you balance your life’s plate is up to you, what is most important to remember, is that balance in your life helps to build and maintain resiliency. If however, you are finding it difficult to find balance in your life, or despite the balance in your life, you are having difficulties with your emotional well being, that might be the time to reach out to a professional that specializes in working with first responders.