The Power of Being Resilient: 3 Ways to Build It
Recently the community where I live experienced an event that was unthinkable in a community such as ours. I am a recent transplant to the community but chose my new home as a place to live because of its mix of rural beauty and semi-urban blend. This weekend I experienced the worst of human nature in the form of perpetrators who took out their rage on an entire community. By taking down our electrical power, they tried to interrupt our lives; Power Outage in NC. More significantly, I observed a level of resilience firsthand that I had not witnessed since I was a child and living in Havana, Cuba before immigrating to the United States.
With grace and efficiency my new home and adopted community went into action fluidly. Food trucks lined up and prepared meals, community facilities offered warmth and shelters opened their doors to disseminate information and to give supplies to those in need. “Now that is resilience!”, I thought.
Webster’s definition of resilience is: “the ability to adjust easily to misfortune or change.” However, having been in healthcare for over 25 years, I tend to look at resiliency as something deeper. An abstract on Physician Resilience by Epstein and Krasner offers a compelling definition, “the capacity to respond to stress in a healthy way such that goals are achieved at minimal psychological and physical cost; resilient individuals “bounce back”; after challenges while also growing stronger.” Physician Resilience
Three Ways To Develop Resilience
Any leader, executive, or individual can encounter disruptions in life that are unpredictable. Developing a contingency plan and resilience will help you remain focused on your goals when such disruptions occur. Resilience. It’s one of the most important skills you can have in your toolkit, but how do you build it?
The first step is to recognize that resilience is a skill, not an innate trait. Resilience isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you learn. You can build up your resilience muscle just like any other muscle in your body—by exercising it regularly, challenging yourself, and learning what works for you.
Here are some tips to help get started:
1) Plan for the unexpected
What would happen if the unpredictable happens and you do not have the typical resources? What could be done differently? How could this be turned into an opportunity? What is within your control? Having a contingency plan for everything you do will reduce the stress at times when you are needed most.
2) Eat well and get rest
This will help keep your mind sharp and make sure that you have enough energy so that when things get tough, you’re ready for them! Plan for your self-care to include time to reflect and meditate, you want to have clarity as you focus on what’s needed to address the situation.
3) Focus on what works well
When we are facing a challenging situation it is time to test what works instead of dwelling on what didn’t work out as planned. Leverage everything that you know, your experiences and skill, lean on your capabilities.
Finally, build resilience by continuing to use your wit, instincts, and insights; all the things you are gifted with and just keep moving forward. That resilience muscle could one day be your greatest superpower!
Maria I. Carlton is owner/coach at Future Reach Coaching, LLC. For more information on developing resilience, or any other leadership, professional, or personal capabilities contact Maria and chat with her and learn more by scheduling your 30-minute free consultation.