Resilience: The Key to Thriving in Times of Adversity and Uncertainty

 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Waldo Emerson

How do people deal with unfortunate events that bring drastic changes to their lives? The loss of a job, serious illness, the death of a loved one, and a host of other distressing events; these are all cases of life challenging experiences. Most people respond to such incidences with a string of strong emotions and a degree of uncertainty. However, many individuals adapt well as time goes on to these stressful conditions and life-changing situations. What empowers them to do such?

It’s our personal resilience that helps us to thrive and grow in the midst of trying circumstances. Decades of research has revealed what resilience is and how it works. Resilience is the process of adapting to life-related experiences such as trauma, tragedy, adversity, threats or significant sources of stress; such as relationship and family problems, workplace or severe health problems and financial stressors.

Being resilient does not imply that you do not encounter hardship or distress. Sadness and emotional pain are common in individuals who are victims of trauma or significant adversity in their lives. As a matter of fact, the road to resilience is most likely to involve a measure of emotional distress.

Resilience is not a characteristic or trait people are born with; everyone can build resilience in his or her everyday lives and careers over time. It involves thoughts, actions, and behaviors that can be nurtured in anybody.

Building Your Resilience

Thriving in a world full of challenges and uncertainties requires more than just being oneself. It requires building your resilience to a level that can counterbalance the adversity and challenge that life can bring. Here are ten ways to help you boost your resilience and bring new direction and energy to your life and career.

Make Connections

Developing caring and supporting relationships is a crucial component of building your resilience. The ability to have people you can reach out to when you need help or support is a tremendous asset.

Also, it is a big deal to be able to offer support and help to others when they need it. Accepting support and help from those who care about you can strengthen your resilience. Many people report that being active in faith-based organizations, civic groups, or other local groups that give social support helps in reclaiming hope.

Move Toward Your Goals

Build and develop realistic goals and objectives. Do something consistently regardless if it seems like a little accomplishment that enables you to push toward your goals.

Instead of dwelling more on likely white elephant projects, ask yourself;

How proficient are you at seeing things through? When faced with issues do you tackle them by having a “can do” mentality, taking action and being proactive?

An ability to explore alternatives and options will always provide you with a healthier range of choices to deal with challenging circumstances and situations. Your ability to move forward when faced with hardship helps to build your resilience.

Avoid Seeing Crises as Insurmountable Problems

The fact that highly unpleasant events will happen cannot change, yet you can change how you decipher and react to these situations. Learning to look beyond the present moment can help you not to get stuck in the overwhelming belief that the current circumstances will never change.

Look for Opportunities for Self-Discovery

People frequently learn something about themselves and may find that they have developed in some aspects as a result of their battle with an unexpected change or loss. Resilient people who experience hardship and tragedies reveal that with time and healing they gain a greater sense of strength, better relationships, an expanded sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality and a richer appreciation for life.

Take Care of Yourself

You need to pay attention to your personal feelings and requirements. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Commit to regular exercise. Your lifestyle, health, and even amount of sleep and relaxation will help build your resilience.

that contributes to keeping the mind and body primed to be ready to deal with situations that require resilience.

Increase Your Self-Awareness

This refers to the knowledge of how you think, feel, and react in times of uncertainty and adversity. What are the habits and patterns that get in your way of thinking positively when responding to different challenges and situations? Make an assessment of your habits and your thoughts. Do they serve you well? Do you keep relapsing back to the past or do live in the present or future?

Resilient individuals can recognize the causes of their success and also failures and learn from them. They consistently take responsibility for their actions and reactions.

Strengthen Your Self-Management

This characteristic of resilience is your ability to know your talents and strengths and to recognize your limitations. How do you manage your time both at home and work?

Over-commitment is a common source of pressure for many individuals. Staying focused on developing and maintaining work-life balance is essential to fostering your resilience. Accept responsibility for your actions and yourself. Learn to be the CEO of your life and take 100% responsibility for your success.

Build Special Interests

Taking part in opportunities of self-discovery is essential to gaining a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life. How often do you share your passion, experience, and knowledge with others?

Develop Positive Realism

This resilience trait is something of an equilibrium act, between the ability to think positively about events and situations while being realistic about what can be achieved. It involves the capacity to generate feelings and positive thoughts about current circumstances. If you begin to slip towards the other side, ask what do you gain from looking at a negative perspective?

Work on observing the glass half full, look at the positive aspects and you will begin to feel different. In the meantime, a healthy dosage of realism is inherently good. It lowers the chance of having subsequent disappointment and unreasonable expectations. Keep things in context, and it will help you to accomplish your goals.

Foster Your Ability to Be Flexible

Resilience involves developing flexibility in your life as you encounter stressful events and demanding circumstances. An essential part of this is your ability to be open-minded and flexible when dealing with uncertainty and change.

Resilient people have an acute sense of what they can and can’t control. This helps to prevent any form of a tendency to continually repeat the same behaviors to the same situations and expecting different results!

Bringing It All Together

Life is full of unexpected adversities and challenges. To succeed in a life of uncertainties, we must discover our resilience. Resilience is the tool to pull something from deep within to keep us pushing forward. That thing deep within us is hope.

Moreover, resilience is that elusive pot of treasure at the end of our story that makes the suffering we experience in a world full of distractions, uncertainties, and complexities worth it.

Let me leave you with this challenge. What simple action will you take to begin increasing your resilience? Put this knowledge into action, and you know what? You will handle whatever comes your way. I have faith in you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TIM CROWLEY, PH.D.

Motivational Keynote Speaker, Leadership, and Resilience Expert

Dr. Tim Crowley is a well-known speaker with a passion for growing leaders, teams, and organizations that produce extraordinary results. For more than 25 years his services have touched the lives of leaders in some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Including AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ernst & Young, Hallmark, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Marriot, Microsoft, Nestle-Purina, along with numerous organizations, universities, state and federal agencies.

When not speaking, leading workshops, and blogging he looks for inspiration through mountain biking, volunteering, and spending time with his family and friends. Invite Tim to speak at your next event. You can learn more about Tim and how his services can help you and your team at drtimcrowley.com. Connect with Tim on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.