Building Resilience

The good news is that personal resilience, the ability to spring back and heal through difficult experiences, is something that can be developed!

Children and Youth

Adults who interact with children and youth play an important role in modeling and supporting resilience.

The following essential building blocks of resilience, known as the 7C's, were developed by Dr. Ken Ginsburg MD, MS.Ed, pediatrician and adolescent specialist and author of Building Resilience in Children and Teens.

The 7C’s include:

1) Character — have and hold onto a sense of morality

2) Competence — improve yourself; learn something new

3) Connections— strengthen connections with family, friends, and community

4) Confidence — have realistic expectations and praise honestly

5) Contribution — make a difference for others in your family or community

6) Coping — develop a positive outlook for all things big and small

7) Control — own and control decisions, for better outcomes.

See Dr. Ginsburg’s site Fostering Resilience for a deeper understanding of these traits, and some tips on how to foster them in children and youth.

Youth and Adults

We all experience stressful times and struggles in life. Being resilient is largely about recognizing when you are struggling and practicing healthy coping strategies. For most adults, this is very individualized.

You can prepare for and combat life’s difficult times by making healthy strategies part of your normal routine.

This includes:

  • Taking care of yourself.
  • Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
  • Exercise on a regular basis
  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out
  • Talking to others. Sharing your problems and how you are feeling and coping with a parent, friend, counselor, doctor, or pastor.
  • Giving yourself an artistic outlet, be it drawing, writing, singing, or playing an instrument. Or connecting with others doing the same, by joining a writing, choir, band or theater group.
  • Practicing mindfulness, visit https://mindfulnessnorthwest.com for free online videos, tips to get started in your own home practice, and classes on the eastside.
  • Taking a break from what’s causing the stress. If news events are causing your stress, take a break from listening or watching the news.
  • Avoiding drugs and alcohol. These may seem to help with the stress. But in the long run, they create additional problems and increase the stress you are already feeling.

Visit: https://www.verywellmind.com/forty-healthy-coping-skills-4586742 for a list of 40 healthy coping strategies.

  • Volunteer, to get your mind off yourself and feel good about helping others.

Community Connections

Being connected to others and having a sense of belonging are important elements in building your own resilience. Our community is rich in opportunities to connect with others.

Duvall and Carnation-area organizations that offer free and low-cost events and activities:

Camlann Medieval Village: living history museum project located on Kelly Road. Classes, dinners, festivals, a village setting from 14th century England. Admission fee and reservations needed for dinners.
http://camlann.org/

Carnation Chamber of Commerce: calendar of public events, including celebrations, activities, health programs.
https://www.carnationchamber.com/events/#!calendar

Carnation Parks and Recreation Department: calendar of annual events, attractions, farms, landmarks, sports, parks and open space.
https://www.carnationwa.gov/parks

Carnation Public Library: calendar of events, including free stories, teen programs, free meals, art and other activities.
https://kcls.org/location/carnation-events/

Cascade Community Theatre: community theatre organization for Duvall, Carnation, and Monroe. People of all ages are welcome to participate in every aspect of the theatre. They typically produce 4 shows each year including their Youth Theatre program.
http://cctplays.org/

City of North Bend: calendar of free family activities and services.
https://northbendwa.gov/calendar.aspx

City of North Bend Parks and Trails Department: list of free and available activities, including public trails and parks. Contains many links to additional family-oriented event calendars.
https://northbendwa.gov/142/Parks-Trails

City of Sammamish YMCA: calendar of free recreation, community, arts and culture activities.
http://blog.sammamishymca.org/calendar/

Duvall Calendar of Events: so many events happening in town and surrounding areas! Check out the Duvall Calendar for The Big Rock Ballfield Schedule, Duvall Community Van Trips, Music, Arts, & Festivals, and more!
http://www.duvallwa.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=27,14,25,22,23,

Duvall Chamber of Commerce: calendar of events, find jobs in Duvall and surrounding valley, information on living in Duvall, and more. Annual big hits include: Halloween Trick or Treat event, Duvall Days, and the Christmas Tree Lighting.
https://duvallchamberofcommerce.com/

Duvall Cultural Commission: music, art, culture and heritage. Sponsor of the SummerStage in Duvall with free entertainment during the summer and numerous other events in Duvall!
http://duvallculture.org

Duvall Foundation for the Arts: annual events (Art in Bloom and Sandblast) supporting art and arts education. FREE to attend with numerous booths and fun activities!
https://duvallarts.org/

Duvall Historical Society: preserving the history and promoting an appreciation for the history of this beautiful valley through local events such as the Heritage Festival, tours of the Dougherty Farmstead, and more. Many of these events are FREE!
http://www.duvallhistoricalsociety.org/index.html

Duvall Library and Duvall Friends of the Library (DFOL): committed to supporting and enhancing programs, activities, and resources at the library. Check out their websites for FREE events at the library for children, families, and topic specific. DFOL does have a dues charge of $10 Individual and $15 Family
http://duvallfol.org/
https://kcls.org/location/duvall-events/

Fall City Community Association: list of holiday festivities, celebrations, recreation.
http://www.fallcity.org/events.html and calendar: http://www.fallcity.org/calendar.html

GovServ Links for Carnation Area: list of links to many useful activities in the Carnation area.
https://www.govserv.org/US/Carnation/293613860665901/Carnation-Chamber-of-Commerce

Irwin Movies in the Park at McCormick Park: free movies, admission, and popcorn in the park at dusk!
https://www.facebook.com/IrwinMoviesInThePark/

Jubilee Farm: growing and grazing in the Snoqualmie Valley this beautiful farm offers seasonal events, a CSA (community supported agriculture) membership, and is a vital part of this valley.
https://jubileefarm.org/

Lee Arts Foundation: a community-oriented private non-profit foundation “Celebrating the Snoqualmie Valley by bringing people together through art, music and culture.”
https://www.leearts.org

Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust: calendar of markets, festivals, and family-friendly community events.
https://mtsgreenway.org/explore/calendar-of-events/

Museums and Heritage Organizations: this valley is filled with so much history and there are several museums and historical societies to explore. Many are FREE or low cost admission.
http://www.duvallwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/503/Museums-and-Heritage-Organizations-PDF?bidId=

Old Redmond Fire House: calendars for the drop-in center, internships, teen advisory board, shows and events, recording studio, rentals.
https://www.redmond.gov/265/Old-Fire-House-Teen-Center

Oxbow Farm: Inspiring people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations. Wonderful seasonal events, Saturday farm visits, Oxtober Harvest Festival, and more! Free or low cost suggested donation.
http://www.oxbow.org/

Parks and Recreation, City of Sammamish: calendar featuring many FREE family events and activities, featuring Beaver and Pine Lakes, open to Carnation and other area towns.
https://www.sammamish.us/news-events/city-event-calendar/

Remlinger Farms: started as a small family run farm and fruit stand and has slowly grown over the years into the Family Fun Park, Market, Restaurant and Company Picnic site they are today. A super fun place to visit!
https://remlingerfarms.com/index.htm

Riverview Schools and District: the full calendar of many free and low-cost activities including concerts, live theater, team sports games, talent shows, arts events, and dates of when school is in session (to take note of). Consider also the calendars of each school.
http://rsd407.org/districtinfo/calendars/default.aspx

Savor Snoqualmie Valley: so many things to do in our valley and Savor helps you map your adventure, see upcoming events and things to do, explore some itinerary options, and read their blog to learn more of local happenings.
https://savorsnoqualmievalley.org/home/

Snoqualmie Valley Community Network – provides school-based prevention programs and community education opportunities that support youth in leading safe, healthy, and successful lives.
https://snoqualmievalleycommunitynetwork.org/events-calendar/

Snoqualmie Valley YMCA: this is a full-scale recreational facility with pools, gymnasiums, day care. See the calendar for free art, dance, community discussions, and much more.
http://www.ci.snoqualmie.wa.us/calendar.aspx?view=list&year=2018&month=1&day=20&CID=14

SnoValley Chamber of Commerce: events calendar featuring cooking classes and live music, and other activities.
https://www.snovalley.org/events/calendar

Snoqualmie Valley Regional Trail: 31.5 miles of beautiful gravel trail to ride your bike or horse along, travel with your feet, and enjoy the natural beauty of the valley! The trail passes through many local valley towns and ends at Rattlesnake Lake where you can stop and enjoy the incredible Cedar River Watershed Education Center.
http://www.duvallwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/500/Snoqualmie-Valley-Trail-Map