Your Personal Wellness Plan: Building Resilience for the Future

Step 1 – What Is Resilience (and Why It Matters for You)?

Resilience is your ability to adapt, cope, and recover when life is difficult. It does not mean you never struggle. It means:

• You can feel stressed, sad, or overwhelmed and still keep going in small ways.
• You can learn from tough experiences and grow new skills.
• You can ask for help and use support instead of trying to do everything alone.

Think of resilience like a phone battery:

• Stress, problems, and big changes drain your battery.
• Sleep, support, healthy habits, and coping tools help you recharge.
• A resilience plan is like your personal charging strategy so you do not suddenly hit 1%.

In this module you will:

• Name ways you have already been resilient.
• Notice your early warning signs when your mental health is slipping.
• Choose coping tools that actually fit you.
• List support people and resources you can turn to.
• Put it all into a short written wellness plan you can update anytime.

> You are the expert on you. This plan is about what actually helps you, not what you think should help.

Step 2 – Spot How You Have Already Shown Resilience

You already have resilience, even if it does not always feel like it.

Quick reflection (2–3 minutes)

Grab a piece of paper or a notes app and respond to these prompts:

1. A tough situation I went through:

(Example: moving schools, a friendship breakup, family stress, illness, failing a test.)

1. What I did that helped me get through it (even a little):

• Did you talk to someone?
• Distract yourself with music, games, or art?
• Keep showing up to school or activities?
• Ask a teacher, counselor, or coach for support?

1. What this shows about me:

Turn your actions into strengths. For example:

• “I kept going to practice even when I felt low” → I am persistent.
• “I finally told my friend how I felt” → I am brave and honest.

Write 2–3 strength sentences starting with:

• “I am someone who…” or
• “I have the strength to…”

Example:

• “I am someone who eventually reaches out when things are too heavy.”
• “I have the strength to try again after I mess up.”

You will use these strengths later in your wellness plan.

Step 3 – Know Your Early Warning Signs

Mental health usually does not crash all at once. There are often early warning signs that stress, anxiety, or low mood are building up.

These signs can be:

#### 1. Body signs

• Headaches, stomachaches, feeling sick a lot
• Tight chest, racing heart, sweaty hands
• Very tired all the time or restless and unable to sit still

#### 2. Thoughts

• “I am not good enough.”
• “What is the point?”
• Constant worrying about school, friends, or the future
• Trouble concentrating or your mind going blank

#### 3. Feelings

• Irritable or angry over small things
• Numb or empty, like you do not care about anything
• Sad most of the day for several days in a row
• Overwhelmed, like everything is “too much”

#### 4. Behaviours

• Withdrawing from friends or family
• Scrolling late into the night even when you are exhausted
• Skipping homework, class, or activities you usually like
• Eating a lot more or a lot less than usual

Noticing your signs early gives you more time to use coping tools and ask for help.

> Important: If you ever have thoughts about hurting yourself or wanting to die, that is an urgent warning sign. Your plan should always include a step to tell a trusted adult or professional immediately and use emergency services or crisis lines available in your country.

Step 4 – Map *Your* Early Warning Signs

Create a quick list of your personal early warning signs. Use the categories below.

Activity: Fill in your signs

Write 2–3 examples for each that fit you. If you are not sure, think about the last time you felt very stressed or down.

Body signs (my body is telling me I am not okay when…)

• Example: “I get a stomachache before school.”
• Your signs: `...`

Thought signs (my thoughts change to…)

• Example: “I start thinking everyone is annoyed with me.”
• Your signs: `...`

Feeling signs (my emotions feel like…)

• Example: “I feel on edge and snap at people.”
• Your signs: `...`

Behaviour signs (I start doing or avoiding…)

• Example: “I stay up late on my phone to avoid thinking.”
• Your signs: `...`

Keep this list. It will go into your wellness plan as your “early warning signs” section.

Step 5 – Build Your Coping Toolbox

Coping strategies are actions or habits that help you handle stress and difficult emotions. Healthy coping does not erase problems, but it:

• Lowers your stress level
• Helps you think more clearly
• Keeps you safe while you figure out next steps

You can think of coping tools in 3 groups:

1. Calm-your-body tools

Help your nervous system slow down.

• Slow breathing (in for 4, out for 6–8)
• Stretching, yoga, or a walk
• Holding something cold (like an ice cube or cool water on wrists)
• Progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and relaxing muscles)

2. Calm-your-mind tools

Change your focus or thoughts.

• Writing in a journal or notes app
• Listing 5 things you can see, 4 you can feel, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste (grounding)
• Challenging unhelpful thoughts: “Is this 100% true? What would I say to a friend?”
• Short meditation or mindfulness audio

3. Connect-with-others tools

Use your support system.

• Messaging or calling a friend or family member
• Talking to a school counselor, teacher, or coach
• Attending a support group (in-person or online, if age-appropriate and safe)

From your earlier modules on digital wellbeing, remember:

• Some coping can be digital (music playlists, calming apps, online chats with friends).
• Some digital habits make things worse (doom-scrolling, comparing yourself on social media, late-night gaming). Your plan should choose which digital tools help and which you will limit when you are not okay.

Step 6 – Choose Your Top Coping Strategies

Now you will pick coping tools that actually fit you.

Activity: My coping toolbox

For each category, list at least one strategy you are willing to try. Aim for 3–6 total.

Calm my body (at least 1)

• Example: “Take 10 slow breaths and stretch for 2 minutes.”
• Your ideas: `...`

Calm my mind (at least 1)

• Example: “Write down what I am worried about and one small action I can take.”
• Your ideas: `...`

Connect with others (at least 1)

• Example: “Text my cousin and say, ‘Hey, can we talk? I am having a rough day.’”
• Your ideas: `...`

Digital wellbeing choices (at least 1)

• Example: “Mute or log off from apps that make me feel worse when I am already low.”
• Example: “Use a sleep mode or screen-time limit after 10 p.m. on school nights.”
• Your ideas: `...`

Try to pick strategies that are:

• Realistic (you can actually do them where you live, with your schedule)
• Specific (not just “relax” but what you will do)
• Safe (they do not harm you or others)

You can always adjust these later if something does not work for you.

Step 7 – Identify Your Support Network and Safety Options

From your earlier module on support systems and getting help, you know that:

• You are not supposed to handle everything alone.
• Different people have different roles: friends, family, school adults, professionals, and crisis services.

Think of support in layers:

1. Everyday support

People you can talk to when you are stressed, sad, or confused.

• Friends, siblings, cousins
• Parents, caregivers, or other relatives
• Teachers, coaches, youth leaders

2. School and community support

People whose job is to help.

• School counselor or psychologist
• School nurse or wellbeing staff
• Community youth worker or mentor

3. Professional and crisis support

People trained to help with mental health or emergencies.

• Family doctor / GP or pediatrician
• Therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists (depending on availability where you live)
• Crisis hotlines, text lines, or emergency numbers in your country

> Laws and services differ by country, but many places now have 24/7 crisis lines (phone, text, or chat) for young people. These are for moments when you feel unsafe, out of control, or at risk of harming yourself or someone else.

Knowing your options before things feel extreme makes it easier to reach out when you need to.

Step 8 – List Your Support People and Resources

Create a short list of people and services you can turn to. Try to name at least three.

Activity: My support network

People in my life

Write names and how you would contact them.

• Example: Friend: `Amina – WhatsApp or in person at lunch`
• Example: Adult at school: `Mr. Lee (science teacher) – talk after class`
• Example: Family member: `Grandma – phone call`

Your list:

`1. ...`

`2. ...`

`3. ...`

School or community resources

• Example: `School counselor – request an appointment through the office`
• Example: `Local youth center – drop-in after school`

Your list:

`1. ...`

`2. ...`

Crisis / emergency options

Write down what applies where you live (ask a trusted adult or look up official health or government sites if you are unsure):

• `Emergency number in my country (e.g., 112, 911, 999): ...`
• `National or local crisis hotline / text line (if available): ...`

> Add this list to your phone (notes, contacts, or a pinned message) and somewhere offline (paper in your room, planner, or wallet).

Step 9 – Put It All Together: Your Personal Wellness Plan

Now you will create a one-page wellness and safety plan. You can copy this template into a doc, notes app, or notebook and fill it in.

```text

MY PERSONAL WELLNESS PLAN

(Last updated: )

1. MY STRENGTHS

• I am someone who .
• I am someone who .
• I have the strength to .

1. MY EARLY WARNING SIGNS

Body:

Thoughts:

Feelings:

Behaviours:

1. WHAT HELPS ME COPE (MY TOOLBOX)

When I notice my warning signs, I will try:

• Calm my body:
• Calm my mind:
• Connect with others:
• Digital wellbeing choice:

1. PEOPLE I CAN REACH OUT TO

Friend / peer:

Family member:

Adult at school / community:

1. PROFESSIONAL OR CRISIS SUPPORT

School / community service:

Doctor / therapist (if I have one):

Emergency number in my country:

Crisis line / text (if available):

1. MY SAFETY STEPS (IF I FEEL AT RISK OR OVERWHELMED)

If I start having thoughts about hurting myself or others, or

feel completely out of control, I will:

1) Tell this trusted adult right away:

2) Use this crisis / emergency option:

3) Remove or avoid anything that could be used to hurt me.

4) Stay with someone safe or in a safe place until I am

calmer or help arrives.

```

Take a few minutes now to fill in as much as you can. You can always come back and update it.

> Tip: Some people like to take a photo or screenshot of their plan so it is always with them.

Step 10 – Quick Check: Do You Understand Your Plan?

Answer this question to check your understanding of how to use your wellness plan.

Step 11 – Review Key Ideas

Use these flashcards to review important terms from this module.

Step 12 – Final Reflection and Next Steps

Take 2–3 minutes to reflect and decide how you will keep your plan alive.

Reflection questions

You can answer these in your head, in writing, or by talking with someone you trust.

1. Which part of my plan feels most useful right now? Why?
2. Which coping strategy am I most likely to actually use this week?
3. Who is one person I could share part of my plan with so they can support me?

Set one small action for this week

Write down one realistic action you will take in the next 7 days:

• Example: “I will tell my best friend that I made a wellness plan and what helps me when I am stressed.”
• Example: “I will try my ‘calm my body’ tool once after school this week.”

`This week, I will: `

Remember: Your plan is a living document. You can edit it as you grow, learn more about yourself, or as your life changes.