How to Face Adversity with Practical Resilience

Just found out you are not valued at work?

Heard about downsizing and your department was mentioned?

The economy took a hit and my furlough may now be indefinite?

Thought you would retire comfortably from your current job because it is all that you know and now there is no more job?

Life is a series of positive and negative events that we cannot change. The thing that we can change is how we react to the each situation as it comes and more importantly, how we bounce back from the negative occasions. The concept of resilience, which is the ability to recuperate from difficulty and hardships is an important skill that we can develop over time.

Everyone experiences challenges in life that can be overwhelming. Death, divorce, losing a job, workplace drama, financial stress, and other life events, force us to utilize our own resiliency to mend, regain and move through the discomfort that is related with these events, which are a fundamental part of life.

A resilient mindset is critical to maintaining your mental well-being. Being irrepressible allows us to reestablish our spirits and responsive reserves which will allow growth to occur and strengthen us for the future.

ADAPT, SURVIVE and THRIVE

Tap into your Emotional Intelligence

It is easy to drink to oblivion, gorge on potato chips and binge watch every season of your favorite show, but that is not going to get you back on track. Stop the pity party and start to take care of yourself. Get out and exercise, go for a walk, meditate, cook something healthy and nurture yourself while you recuperate. This may not be the same for everybody but just because some people are more resilient than others, being less resilient does not make you a weaker person. You cannot beat yourself up for something that happened that you may not have had control over in the first place. If you did have control, you may need to revisit the events to learn from them, but dwelling on them will just perpetuate the negativity.

When something goes wrong in your life, just yell "PLOT TWIST" and move on.

Get some help

If someone is struggling after something bad has happened the first thing they should know is you are not alone. Help is readily available, and you can get the support you need to recover. Many people think they need to figure things out on their own. It is a sign of emotional intelligence and a sign of true mental strength to know when we need help and to be able to ask for it. As introverted as you may think you may be, we are social creatures by nature, and while it’s all too easy to isolate yourself when you’re hurting, surrounding yourself with friends, positive thinkers and influencers, can be one of the first opportunities you have to begin the healing process. Think of it as hiring a coach. They cannot fix your problems but they may be able to help you focus on how you will bounce back. Sometimes it is tough to figure out a plan or new approach but others can help you direct your rebuilding and recovering efforts. This may not happen overnight, but the more you reach out and network with people the quicker you will figure out your next steps.

Malleability

We have all heard the expression, “when life gives you lemons”, so if you are the type of person that either has the next 10 years planned out or you were completely blindsided by negative outcomes, you are going to have to come to the realization that the result of these events have created an opportunity for you and that can actually be a positive thing. Whether you are a pessimist or optimist, moments like this force you to change your mind set to become an opportunist. When a door closes, you have to dig deep into your mind, offer yourself some flexibility and try to figure out which will be the next door you will open.

Resiliency requires action

If you have or are experiencing adversity keep these thoughts in your mind. Allowing yourself the opportunity to take some time to think, reach out to friends, and take care of yourself both physically and mentally, you can turn something damaging into something more pleasing and hopeful which can only help you salvage yourself and recapture a positive spirit.