A Beginner's Guide to Resilience

A Beginner's Guide to Resilience

Don't you love unexpected challenges? You are enjoying a great life; everything is going according to plan, and life will test you. Resilience doesn't give you some magical ability to avoid difficulty in life. It gives you the strength to overcome the emotional, mental, and possibly physical damage caused by a setback you encounter.

Resilience Begins with Objective Reflection

Objectivity is the first step to boosting resilience. Being objective means not letting your emotions and viewpoints influence your thoughts. View the hardship you face as if watching someone else go through it.

Describe the experience in its simplest terms. What is happening? What are the consequences of the event? What is required for you to process this experience and come out the other side with the best possible result?

This objective reflection keeps you from letting your emotions cloud your judgment. You see an unfortunate situation as an opportunity for growth and learning rather than something that will affect you long-term.

Journal Prompt: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. Write down the facts of the situation without letting emotions influence your description. What happened, and what were the consequences?

Action Tip: Practice mindfulness meditation to enhance your ability to objectively observe your thoughts and emotions. This can help you remain calm and clear-headed during difficult times.

Assemble a Support Network

Build your support team before you need them. This is very important. Talk to the people who care about you. Ask your mentors if you can contact them when you need assistance overcoming difficulty. Build a supportive group of loved ones, friends, and coworkers, and let them know you will provide all necessary aid to help them overcome the setbacks they experience.

Journal Prompt: List the people who already support you emotionally, mentally, and physically. How can you strengthen these relationships?

Action Tip: Schedule regular check-ins with your support network. This could be a monthly coffee catch-up with friends or a weekly call with a mentor. Building strong connections before you need them is crucial.

Revisit Past Victories

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves how awesome we are. Spend time in your daily routine revisiting past experiences where you overcame a setback. Don't wait until hardship strikes. Regularly remind yourself that you have what it takes to bounce back from life's difficulties. You've done it before, and you can do it again.

Journal Prompt: Recall a time when you overcame a significant challenge. How did you feel then, and what steps did you take to overcome it?

Action Tip: Create a "victory log" where you regularly document your achievements, big or small. Reviewing these entries can boost your confidence when facing new challenges.

Draw up a Plan of Action

Go back to your objective reflection of the experience. What needs to happen now? What steps must you take mentally, emotionally, and physically to move forward positively?

Remember to remove your emotions from the process. Look at this as a simple question that needs to be answered. Draw up a game plan with specific action steps. Break a big objective down into small, bite-sized milestones you can accomplish to your desired result.

Journal Prompt: After objectively reflecting on a current challenge, list the actionable steps needed to overcome it. What resources or support might you need?

Action Tip: Break down your plan into daily or weekly goals. Use a planner or digital tool to track your progress and adjust your steps as necessary.

Applaud the Effort, Not the Result

You can't guarantee success. All you can guarantee is that you will persist. You won't give up. Recognize what has happened. Allow yourself to process the positive and negative emotions you experience. Then, work on your action plan.

Give yourself credit for making an effort. Applaud your hard work and resilience instead of whatever results you create. Your desired result is not guaranteed. You can't always control an outcome, but you can build self-confidence by working to make the best of a difficult situation.

Journal Prompt: Reflect on a recent effort you made towards a goal, regardless of the outcome. What did you learn, and how can you apply this knowledge in the future?

Action Tip: Set aside weekly time to acknowledge your efforts and hard work. Celebrate the process and the progress, not just the results. This can be as simple as treating yourself to something you enjoy or sharing your progress with a friend.