The way in which we view adversity and stress strongly affects how we succeed. After all, we all come from different value systems and backgrounds, so we all have different levels of tolerance for resilience. But this time of isolation and self-reflection is a great opportunity to practice developing a resilient mindset.
The coronavirus pandemic has bought a stark sense of individual and collective vulnerability, causing periods of worry, anxiety and instability.
But on the flip side of vulnerability and anxiety is resilience. Wouldn’t it be great if you had the ability to adapt and bounce forward when crisis hits, or when things don’t go as planned?
Well, guess what? Now you can.
Here are four practical ways you can start developing resilience.
Show gratitude for what you do have
Right here, right now in this moment, what do you have enough of? Think of three things and write them down. In doing so, you are bringing yourself back into the moment and flipping any negative thinking into a positive one. Find a regular time — say, first thing in the morning or at the end of the day to journal positive thoughts and ground yourself back into the moment to show gratitude.
Flip the thinking
One of our Emotional Intelligence tools is the ability to flip the thinking. Say how you feel, then walk through the FLIP THE THINKING TOOL HERE to help you re-balance your mindset and place in the world. Practising this daily will help build self-awareness and gain a deeper understanding of how our feelings contribute to our actions and the language that we use.
Resilient people are self-aware, so the more you begin to understand how you react when a difficult task or challenging situation comes your way, the greater ability you have to put in into perspective through the flip the thinking tool.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE FLIP THE THINKING TOOL TODAY
Set daily goals
Get into the habit of setting yourself daily goals. No more than three. Keep them really simple, such as changing the bed sheets, getting the kids in bed by 8pm and reading three pages of a fiction book. If you are currently furloughed, challenge yourself to think about how you can use this moment to upskill, reorganise or put your creative talents to good use.
Write these goals down – now is not the time to be a goal-dodger. By writing them down you are keeping yourself accountable to achieving them.
Be ok with feeling uncomfortable
My clients don’t work with me to get comfortable, they come to work with me because they want to grow, achieve more, feel good about themselves and their careers – which sometimes means getting uncomfortable. Feeling uncomfortable can also be a sign that you are growing.
Those who regularly seek out new experiences tend to be more creative and emotionally resilient than those who remain stuck in routine.
Stretch yourself – one minute at a time. One hour at a time. One day at a time.
You might just like what’s possible.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE FLIP THE THINKING TOOL TODAY
If your emotions are all over the place right now, that’s ok. But I promise you, resilience can be learnt. Have a listen to this Instagram live I recorded with the insanely talented Mandy Watkins from Space Like This.
Mandy started out with a business degree, a diploma in professional interior design, and a stint working for a high end interior designer in Cheshire. She went on to establish Mandy Watkins Interiors in 2008 and launched space like this in 2013. She is a regular interiors advisor on BBC Radio Cymru and S4C. She is co-presenter on the popular interiors programme “Dan Do” and is an interiors and homes contributor for “Prynhawn Da”. Recently commissioned for a new and exciting design show that will be filmed over the summer. Click HERE to follow Mandy on Instagram.
This recording took place just as the social distancing measures were first put into place and gives some great insight into why we need resilience and what we can do to build our resilience skills.