Because strength builds slowly over time, you might not have noticed how powerful your journey has made you. To reveal the depth and breadth of your strength, you can:

• Identify all the challenges (big and small) you’ve handled in the last week. Notice the scope of the weight you’re carrying. You may still feel like you have a long way to go, but take a moment to give yourself credit for how much you’ve accomplished.
• Reflect on the adversity you’ve experienced. Compare how you felt about yourself and your future while in the heart of the crisis to how you feel now. What are you proud of? What challenges can you take in stride that might have derailed you in the past?

Find a way to capture the everyday gifts. You could do anything from journaling about the things you value to creating a symbolic piece of art. Then, use this creation to keep your sense of appreciation fresh. You might pause to reflect each time you look at your artwork. Or you could create a calendar reminder to review your journal on significant dates, like your birthday or the anniversary of a diagnosis or loss.

Strong bonds grow out of a willingness to make yourself vulnerable by revealing your true self.⁴ To open the door to that possibility, when someone asks how you’re doing, instead of automatically saying, “Fine,” consider giving the true, “I’m not-so-great” answer.

You can also nurture relationships by changing the way you prioritize your time. That might look like:

• Finding more time to spend with loved ones, even if that means living with a messier kitchen or unanswered emails
• Seeing people one-on-one or in small groups so you can have intimate conversations that aren’t possible at large gatherings
• Giving yourself permission to spend less time with casual connections or with people who leave you feeling drained. That will give you more time and energy for relationships that make you feel seen and supported.

Turning your hurt into healing for others can help give meaning to the pain you’ve experienced. So can living a life that is deeply aligned with your values. If you’re yearning for a life with more meaning but don’t know yet what that might look like, reflect on what feels most important to you.

• Start by listing the aspects of work, relationships, health, spirituality, community engagement, creative expression, and recreation you value most.
• Next, choose a few areas that feel important to you but neglected. Where do you have a mismatch between your priorities and the way you spend your time?
• For places where your life is not yet aligned with your values, brainstorm ways to devote more time to activities that feel meaningful. You may want to call on wisdom from family and friends as well.
• To get the ball rolling, pick one change and put it in motion. That might be a huge change, like looking for a new, less-demanding job closer to nature. Or it might be a small change, like deciding to spend 15 minutes of your lunch break walking in a nearby park.

Many people have a big-picture goal, like supporting cancer research or helping survivors of sexual assault, but don’t yet know how to put that vision into action.

Fortunately, whatever your interests and skills, you’ve got options. Supporting cancer research could mean anything from becoming a scientist to supporting a fundraising campaign. You can explore possibilities by:

• Reading a book that opens your mind to new possibilities
• Volunteering with a nonprofit
• Joining an online community or professional group centered on your interest
• Taking a class