Resilience reminders Published Aug. 4, 2013 By Dr. Michael Jarzombek 157th Air Refueling Wing Director of Psychological Health PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. -- The weather has taken a turn for summer and the barbeques are heating up! As you might recall, during the May drill I provided resiliency training to all base personnel. I equated resilience to building and maintaining a foundation of healthy living skills which enable one to withstand the storms of life. In this message I restate the value of attending to each storm-resilient skill as a means to promote good psychological health over the coming months of summer. Diet - a healthy diet equals a healthy mind and body. Rest - Quality rest restores physical and mental processes. Exercise - regular exercise equals a strong mind and body. Relationships - relationships are important to long lasting health and happiness. Humor - laughter reduces stress and contributes to emotional well-being. Faith & Hope - faith and hope enables one to transcend the storms of life. Mindfulness - mindfulness restores balance. In your day to day activities pay attention to these healthy living skills. Take stock each and every day remembering to notice the world around you; smell the flowers! Simplify your life whenever you can. Slow down racing thoughts, reduce the clutter in your life and breathe. Strive for healthy boundaries between work, home and play. Disconnect from technology. Connect with humanity. Live, love, learn, grow and smile! When those pesky storms of life arrive, pay extra attention to your healthy living foundation, and by all means connect with others including family, friends, coworkers, supervisors and base support services for help. As your Director of Psychological Health I am committed to assisting base personnel who are encountering difficulty; all you ever need to do is ask.