Becoming a Resilient Person - The Science of Stress Management (edX)

All stress isn’t bad, but chronic stress can take its toll on our minds, bodies, and behavior. Research has shown that people can learn and use specific resilience skills (such as optimistic thinking, relaxation strategies, choosing one’s attention) and positive routines (good sleep, scheduling in fun, and so on) in order to better manage stress, bounce back quicker after a setback, be more effective in their academic and vocational pursuits, develop stronger relationships with others, be physically and mentally healthy, and be satisfied with their lives overall. In short, resilience is ordinary magic and can be learned. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be born resilient or get lucky in life.

The purpose of this course is to teach individuals the science behind becoming a resilient person. Stated simply, resilience is the ability to survive and thrive. Resiliency is not only about your ability to positively adapt in the face of adverse or challenging circumstances (that is, survive), but it is also about learning the positive skills, strategies and routines that enable you to live a happy, fulfilling, and meaningful life (in other words, thrive). This course gives you the permission to take care of yourself in order to effectively manage life stressors and do what matters most in life. This captures the notion of being from the inside out, which is a phrase that highlights the importance of promoting core resilience skills, strategies, and routines among early childhood educators. In turn, resilient people are more capable of creating and maintaining nurturing, supportive, and effective learning environments while also optimizing their own wellbeing and love for both the big and small things in life.
By the end of this course, you will have learned about the knowledge and skills that you can apply in your life now and in the future to be a resilient person.