What is Resilience, and Why is It Important?

What is Resilience?

Resilience is recovery. A resilient person recovers quickly from hardship, trauma, and other difficulties life inevitably delivers. Resilience is the ability to bounce back to a state of normalcy as fast as is humanly possible. For instance, a resilient person might lose their job, but instead of dwelling on the loss, they immediately start looking for new opportunities.

Resilience in Action: A Real-Life Scenario

Reflect on the following scenario to see how vital resilience is.

You are fired without warning. Your former employer's HR staffer rambles on about a dip in profits, the company heading in a new direction, and other inane topics, but the bottom line is clear ... you are out of employment now.

You brood over your newfound and frustrating unemployment for weeks. You remind yourself daily that you got a speeding ticket on the day of your termination, and your closest friend moved to the other side of the world a couple of days later. The universe doesn't like you.

You give off negative vibrations. Anyone can see you are angry about something. Your continual negativity is the source of one failed job interview after another. Your friends say you are no fun to be around, and you begin to see yourself as undeserving of a great life. Months after your termination, you are still angry, resentful, and unemployed.

Comparing Responses: The Impact of Resilience

Now, let's look at the flip side of the proverbial coin.

Leaving your exit interview, you're unemployed but hopeful. You're upset, angry, and concerned, but your resilient nature helps you see that focusing on things beyond your control is pointless. You choose to focus on the positive, and that gives you hope for the future.

You do what all resilient people do: look at the facts. Your source of income has disappeared. You learned a lot from your former employer and have strengths and character traits you know employers will find attractive.

Your friends can't help but comment on your positive outlook during this difficult time. You see this as an opportunity to better yourself instead of something you have no control over. You apply to three different companies for positions that offer better pay, a more robust benefits package, and more fulfilment than your last job did.

Two companies want to hire you, commenting that your self-confidence and positive attitude during your interviews played a big part in their decision to offer you a job.

The Benefits of Developing Resilience

Resilience is powerful. The resilient person gives off positive energy, which positively impacts their life. While someone who lacks resilience may fester in negative emotions and create a self-fulfilling prophecy of low self-esteem, failure, and a lack of fulfilment, the resilient person makes the best of a bad situation and upgrades their quality of life. Over time, this positive energy can lead to better opportunities, improved relationships, and a more fulfilling life.

Resilience is not a trait you're born with; it's a skill you develop. The kind of resilience that helps you quickly recover from life's difficulties starts with a choice. Choose to embrace a positive outlook in the face of hardship, and you'll find the setbacks you face easier to handle.