Resilience is the ability to bounce back or recover from tragedy or difficulties. There is one commonality in those individuals who are truly resilient and that is attitude. Those who find their inner positive attitude are best suited to tackle any challenge. Sadly, this is not the norm for the vast majority of the global population. These are not inert habits, but more so of learned practice that is developed and massaged over time.
Key areas of Resilience
- Coping: Resilient people tap into their inner selves to find coping mechanisms
- Grit: Resilient people never give up and are very resourceful
- Emotional Intelligence: Resilient people see the positive in all matters, the silver lining
- Sense Making: Resilient people learn from past experience
Resiliency for beginners: Where to start?
- Reflect – Ask yourself the following:
- How do I react to situations
- How do I handle tough situations
- How do I handle stress
- How am I inspired
4 Phases of Change
- Denial: This is our internal defense mechanism where we are reluctant to change or perhaps even ignore the need for change. It is easy for us to avoid the topic in this phase.
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Share information with friends, family and colleagues
- Engage in small steps to get past the hurdle
- Celebrate every milestone, regardless of how little they are
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Resistance: This is a normal reaction and often people see a loss of energy and focus in this phase as they feel that they could be faced with leaving their comfort zone. Some individuals see this as a time of distress.
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Acknowledge the struggle and validate that these changes are necessary
- Create a list of ways to see the end goal
- Once again it is important to celebrate the milestones
- Essential to spend 1:1 quality time with friends, family and colleagues to talk about the changes – virtually.
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Exploration: In this phase we begin to feel more positive about the changes. We start to feel less anxious and much more confident.
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Try new skills, take up a new hobby.
- Encourage yourself and others around you to be creative
- Set short term goals – key is to be realistic
- Ways to move past this phase:
- Commitment: In this phase with have come to accept the new norm and are nearly fully integrated in the change. We continue to learn new skills and continue to see the positive in the situation.
- Now is the time to:
- Celebrate the journey
- Continue on your newly learned path of resilience
- Now is the time to:
NOTE: It is important as we move through the phases to do our best and not get stuck or stay idle at one stage too long – creating a positive environment around us goes a long way.
Building up our Personal Resilience
- Positivity – Try and see the good in situations
- Emotional Insight – Be aware of your emotions
- Balance – Strive for a good work/life balance and surround yourself with a good energy
- Sense of Purpose – Find some meaning in the hardships
- Cultivate Relationships – Very important on both a personal and professional level
- Reflect – Self-awareness and sharing with others your journey
Finding that true work/life balance is difficult on normal days. With the majority of our population working from home this is an even more difficult feat to attain. Here are some tips to help you create that true balance:
- Flexibility
- Keep a routine
- Ask for clear direction from leaders
- Eat healthy
- Take scheduled breaks
- Stay active
- Seek support (self-care, reach out to friends virtually, be kind to yourself, take advantage of Aspiria)
Feeling Overwhelmed? How to regain control:
- Take a pause
- Step back and look at the big picture
- Retune your to-do list and itemize based on priorities
Did you know? Our world is comprised of 2.5% creators, 47.5% of doers and 47.5% of laggards. Which category are you in?