We’ve all heard of IQ, and terms like EQ, which relates to your emotional intelligence, are commonly used. But have you heard of the adversity quotient? It measures your ability to deal with the ups and downs of life. Being able to handle these rough patches we all go through is not only important in our personal lives but in our professional lives too. So how can we learn to be more resilient?

Luckily, there are some steps you can take to help you be more resilient and adaptable in the face of adversity, according to Dr Shahram Heshmat, professor of health economics at the University of Illinois. First, try to find a meaningful goal. Resilient people often have an aim and are able to concentrate more on a desired outcome, seeing negative situations as a bump in the road on the way to achieving their goal. Learning to relax and regulate your emotions is another key step – one way to help you destress is by practising breathing exercises. Likewise, dwelling on things and letting them get to you can cause you to be stressed. See difficulties more as an opportunity to learn and grow emotionally. Finally, make sure you have a good social support network. Being able to talk with someone about the challenges we face can help.

Things happen in life we can’t prevent – and sometimes they aren’t pleasant. But, taking a few steps to be more resilient can make them a little easier to get through.