Resilience is a word that is used in our everyday language, but what does it really mean to be resilient, and how do we build resilience?
Resilience is the ability to cope in tough times. It is the capacity to tap into our inner strength and engage with support networks, to maintain mental wellbeing and forward momentum.
Stress and everyday challenges are part of life. However, over the past few months, we have had more than our fair share of opportunities to call on our collective resilience.
For Australia particularly, we have experienced bushfires, drought, floods, as well as the far-reaching ramifications of Covid-19. Around the world, the impact of coronavirus has resulted in people losing loved ones, jobs and homes. The very foundation and security of our society has been threatened.
Through all the challenges of working from home, or not working at all, home schooling and lost connection with loved ones, each of us have juggled a range of emotions with patience and purpose.
Part of being resilient is finding the ability to adapt and assimilate to change. So, it has been interesting to watch how, in lockdown, we have found a new way of being. We have embraced a new normal, with family and individuals adapting, accepting, slowing down, and connecting in different ways.
Are we born with inner strength, grit and determination to overcome challenges, or can we develop resilience? Resilience is not a fixed trait, as everybody has different coping strategies that they develop during life, to overcome change and challenge.
The good news is everybody has the capacity and potential to develop resilience.
As we have seen very recently, things are often out of our control. We have no control over other people, or over what happens around us. We do, however, have control over how we respond to the external stressors in life. Being resilient allows you to remain centred during the storm, rather than getting caught up in the storm itself.
Being resilient won’t stop stressful events; however, it will allow you to remain calm and reduce any reactivity to the events. It means rather than negating how you feel about a situation, you acknowledge and express your emotions and experiences, so building your emotional intelligence. Being a healthy human means experiencing the human condition in its entirety.
Some key elements to developing and strengthening resilience are:
· Developing and retaining perseverance, drive and passion
· Being motivated to achieve your goals
· Remaining hopeful and optimistic
· Being aware of your strengths
· Seeking support when needed
· Developing problem-solving skills and coping strategies
· Looking at situations with an open and positive mind
· Being your own inner coach to support positive self-talk
· Growth Mindset - believing in yourself and your ability to develop and achieve
If you are facing challenge or finding yourself at a crossroad in life, you may need some support to develop more resilience. Transition Hub offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a transformational learning experience where you can reinvent yourself through new skills, a shift in mindset and greater confidence.
Coach & author bio: Tamika Dwight-Scott is a Transition Hub Wellbeing coach, and offers a wealth of experience and knowledge as a Gestalt psychotherapist, facilitator and trainer. Her work uses an integrated approach to supporting her clients through challenging periods in their life.