The Strength Of Resilience
Face life’s challenges with the right mindset
Posted on 02-05-2019, Read Time: Min
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Resilience is a superpower. Many aspire to it and yet it is the people or the communities that choose to be fiercely resolute in the face of circumstantial upheaval that actually manages to achieve it.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “…the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family.” It is the capacity to manage strong feelings that is the underpinning of emotional resilience, and it helps to have external support in order to be successful.
Several months ago, I made a commitment to intentionally cultivate resilience. The goal has been to deliberately expand my ability to adapt, to become more flexible in order to meet head-on the inevitable ups and downs that life throws my way, both on a personal and a professional level. I have been tweaking my response in order to view life obstacles as an opportunity to build my “resilience muscles”. This means to embrace everything that comes my way and acknowledges the lessons would miss if I reflexively judge a situation as “good” or “bad”.
But it hasn’t been easy. What I am discovering is that resilience draws from the deepest part of my personal reserve. I must continuously recommit to a healthy blend of determination, grounded faith, and values like gratitude and compassion (for myself and others), as well as a willingness to step back and find the higher meaning in what I am dealing with. And it takes practice!
By training to purposely leave my comfort zone, what I have learned so far has been unexpected: that when we are experiencing fear or anxiety, we are caught in the future, and when we are embittered by anger or resentment, we remain tethered to the past. Either way, the script running in our head prevents us from being present and performing at optimal efficiency.
The most challenging aspect of this exercise has been to pinpoint the message buried in the emotions that hit when something uncomfortable comes my way. Once I consciously shift my perception of the circumstance I find myself in (even only slightly), I can often accomplish what I formerly thought of as ‘impossible’!
I am choosing to be prompted by the feeling of uneasiness. Discomfort will be the signal that it is time for me to begin paying deeper attention internally; to become more present to what is happening right in front of me, as well as to my reaction.
It’s time to bounce back with a new outlook, open to new possibilities. That is the true definition of resilience---the ability to adapt and recover after confronting a stressor. I am changing my emotional fabric to become more adaptable to what is happening now.
I now continually ask myself how I can spring back, not just to my original mental state, but one that is more awake, more present, more creative…more alive? And equally important, what do I do when I am stuck?
Surprisingly, what I have come to realize is that resilience is about being more gentle with myself, rather than being tougher.
When I slow down my breath and allow myself to get still, even for just a millisecond, I am surprised to experience a sense of gratitude for what is happening.
Here’s the golden nugget: If we face life’s challenges with the right mindset, we not only transcend the problem, we transform ourselves. By using discomfort as a wakeup call to come into the present moment, we are better able to solve problems, to be present for our co-workers or loved ones and to see the situation at hand in a new light.
A few important things to note:
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “…the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family.” It is the capacity to manage strong feelings that is the underpinning of emotional resilience, and it helps to have external support in order to be successful.
Several months ago, I made a commitment to intentionally cultivate resilience. The goal has been to deliberately expand my ability to adapt, to become more flexible in order to meet head-on the inevitable ups and downs that life throws my way, both on a personal and a professional level. I have been tweaking my response in order to view life obstacles as an opportunity to build my “resilience muscles”. This means to embrace everything that comes my way and acknowledges the lessons would miss if I reflexively judge a situation as “good” or “bad”.
But it hasn’t been easy. What I am discovering is that resilience draws from the deepest part of my personal reserve. I must continuously recommit to a healthy blend of determination, grounded faith, and values like gratitude and compassion (for myself and others), as well as a willingness to step back and find the higher meaning in what I am dealing with. And it takes practice!
By training to purposely leave my comfort zone, what I have learned so far has been unexpected: that when we are experiencing fear or anxiety, we are caught in the future, and when we are embittered by anger or resentment, we remain tethered to the past. Either way, the script running in our head prevents us from being present and performing at optimal efficiency.
The most challenging aspect of this exercise has been to pinpoint the message buried in the emotions that hit when something uncomfortable comes my way. Once I consciously shift my perception of the circumstance I find myself in (even only slightly), I can often accomplish what I formerly thought of as ‘impossible’!
I am choosing to be prompted by the feeling of uneasiness. Discomfort will be the signal that it is time for me to begin paying deeper attention internally; to become more present to what is happening right in front of me, as well as to my reaction.
It’s time to bounce back with a new outlook, open to new possibilities. That is the true definition of resilience---the ability to adapt and recover after confronting a stressor. I am changing my emotional fabric to become more adaptable to what is happening now.
I now continually ask myself how I can spring back, not just to my original mental state, but one that is more awake, more present, more creative…more alive? And equally important, what do I do when I am stuck?
Surprisingly, what I have come to realize is that resilience is about being more gentle with myself, rather than being tougher.
When I slow down my breath and allow myself to get still, even for just a millisecond, I am surprised to experience a sense of gratitude for what is happening.
Here’s the golden nugget: If we face life’s challenges with the right mindset, we not only transcend the problem, we transform ourselves. By using discomfort as a wakeup call to come into the present moment, we are better able to solve problems, to be present for our co-workers or loved ones and to see the situation at hand in a new light.
A few important things to note:
- Recognize that resilience is made up of dichotomies; the importance of support and encouragement from your tribe, and the ability to nurture yourself; the will and determination to get things done and the ability to replenish your personal stores; the willingness to go through the strong uncomfortable feelings and the knowledge when it is time to temporarily put them aside to take care of what is in front of you that needs attention.
- Resilience takes daily practice. How can you fill your reserves of inner resilience each day, so that your resilience ‘bank account’ is full when you most need it?
- Your angst is your liberation. How can you practice reaching for the message that underlies the uncomfortable emotions? No matter what you’re feeling during a challenging time--whether it’s anger, frustration, disappointment, worry, or fear--there is a message in that emotion. If you can understand the message, it will help you through the challenge.
- Resilience is a mindset. How can you shift, even just a little bit, in your perception of a setback, to ‘bounce back’ by completely shifting your perspective--- ask yourself: is there any way that a positive outcome can arise from this situation? And if you find the yes, how can you make that happen?
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Do you find it easy to come out of your comfort zone? https://web.hr.com/xbq5
Do you find it easy to come out of your comfort zone? https://web.hr.com/xbq5
Author Bio
| Greg Zlevor is the CEO, President, and Founder of Westwood International, a consulting collaborative that's reimagining what it means to lead wisely in a global age. Most recently, Greg in concert with some of his global clients including J&J, Honeywell, MGM, and others have spearheaded the formation of The Global Community for Leadership Innovation (GCLI), a collaborative of global companies that work together to discuss and explore new modes of best practices within Leadership Development. Connect Greg Zlevor Follow @GregZlevor |
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