A BEHAVIOURAL expert at the University of West London has shared five ways anyone can develop resilience and the skills to overcome challenges.

Dr Rowan Myron has looked at exactly what resilience is and how anyone can develop the skills necessary to build it, regardless of background or natural ability.

Dr Myron said: "Resilience is the name for the capacity to recover quickly from adverse events or challenges in life and it's something we all need to practice.

"There has been a lot of debate, but latest research shows that actually, most of us are not born resilient and that it is a skill which can be learnt through deliberate, intentional effort.

"We also know that our resilience can change based on environment or stressors - so if you are in a good place with a supportive partner and something bad happens, you may bounce back more quickly than if you didn't have that support network in place.

"Everyone can learn to be more resilient, no matter how naturally it comes to us.

"Here are some simple and specific behaviours to help anyone foster a resilient mindset and cope with whatever we face in life."

Take care

Increasing self-care when faced with any stressful situation can have a huge and positive impact.

Being aware can be key, so when you know a stressful event is coming up and can be more vigilant and take care of yourself.

Eat well

Try eating more fruit and less junk food, as well as cutting out the alcohol temporarily, as this can all have a big impact on your health and wellbeing, as well as to how your body sleeps and rests.

Talk

Sometimes, something as simple as talking to someone about adversity plays a big part in becoming more resilient.

It can be really hard to talk about something bad that has happened to you but talking with a trusted person can bring about relief and resilience.

Stay positive

Keep a positive frame of mind and try to avoid seeing challenges as insurmountable or impossible.

Lots of problems can seem impossible but there is usually a way through them if you break it all down into little chunks.

Start small

By focusing on small steps with realistic goals you can be decisive and take action rather than simply wishing the bad things would go away.

Look for opportunities to learn something new and develop yourself.