Carrying On #2
When you experience seasons of crisis or challenge, your sense of reflection may seem muddled. Chunk it down. Make it simple. Set aside a specific amount of time, such as a week or 10 days. If you are sensing a need to become more proactive in nurturing your capacity for resilience, consider leaning in to these 10 strategies each day during that period. You might choose one per day and allow your proactivity to build.
- Find your people. Whether you connect with a support group, small group, dinner group, book club, sports friends, or more, you need at least one group in your life. Yes, someone in the group may annoy you. But, the support of most groups overcomes the drawbacks.
- Find your person. Who is the one person you trust? Be a trustworthy friend to them as well. This could be a spouse, best friend, or other confidant. While all relationships require grace and work, do your part to make this a mutually beneficial connection.
- Move your body. The best exercise is the one you will actually do. Walk, run, bike, lift, dance, box…just move. Start with 10 minutes and work up.
- Take in clean fuel. Assess your eating habits. Start with one meal and make it healthy. Perfection is not the goal, but rather excellence. Set realistic expectations and enjoy small victories. Over time, these small steps may equip you for significant transformation.
- Create a spiritual space. Every day carve out 5-10 minutes or more to enter into a sacred space. Meditate, pray, contemplate. Design your own favorite exercises that help you welcome a growing sense of personal peace.
- Choose one thing to stop doing. Taking inventory of all facets of your life, find one specific area in which to exercise your “No.” Perhaps it is a work task that can be delegated, or a caregiving task that someone else needs to do. Or, you may need to bring a halt to a destructive habit.
- Determine one next right thing to do. Just one. The sense of overwhelm can be great during most changes and challenges. Choose one small next right thing and do it as soon as possible.
- Ask for a consult. If you balk at asking for help, try this. Ask for a consult instead! Find someone with the experience or education to help with your situation. Schedule an appointment, invite them for coffee, or give them a call. This is what smart people do.
- Reframe. Have you entered a rut that limits your perspective? How can you reframe your scenario? Generate 5-10 questions about your circumstances. If nothing else, refer to #8.
- Embrace gratitude. Even in the worst of times, you can find refreshment in reminding yourself of current or past reasons to be thankful. Challenge yourself to name 5, 10, 20 or more. Don’t rush through them as they come to mind, but rather sit with them. Take your time and allow these thoughts to renew your mind.
Each of these ideas requires practice. You will most likely experience setbacks, even during a 10 day period. Persist. Release your mistakes. Start anew. These strategies are less of a destination to achieve and more of a path to walk.
*These ideas are adapted from https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
Worth Repeating
Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.
― Steve Maraboli
