Building Your Resilience Reserves

Strengthen your partnership before the next crisis hits:

• Practice the "us vs. the problem" mindset in small conflicts so it is automatic during big ones
• Build your emotional responsiveness — when your partner reaches out, turn toward them consistently
• Discuss your shared meaning — what is your relationship for? What story are you writing together?
• Maintain humor — make room to laugh together, even on hard days
• Build your support network — do not wait for a crisis to find friends, family, or a therapist

Resilience is not about never struggling. It is about having practiced ways to find each other again when struggle comes.