Don’t wait until you are on the skids with stress.

Start beating it back before it arrives by building resilience. Building resilience is not a passing

pop-psychology fad. The American Psychological Association has weighed in on the strategy and endorsed a 10-step approach. How many of these tips do you follow? Which ones would be good to work on more?

1) Build effective, supportive relationships with others.

2) Avoid “catastrophizing” (seeing crises as insurmountable).

3) View change as part of life, with new opportunities accompanying it.

4) Be proactive. Move toward your goals. Don’t let things just happen to you.

5) When faced with problems, act decisively. Don’t just go with the flow.

6) In the midst of a crisis (or sometime soon after), ask yourself, “Can this event change my life for the better in some way?”

7) Nurture a view of yourself that includes the ability to withstand adversity.

8) Practice not zeroing in on the worst part about a crisis or adverse experience.

9) During a tough time, practice looking forward to the hoped-for conclusion and resolution while avoiding the visualization of your worst fears.

10) Take care of yourself by maintaining your physical and mental health, because this makes it easier to bounce back