How Resilient People Handle Those Curve Balls

 Here are some ways that resilient people respond and bounce back after trying times. Although none of this information is new, sometimes we need to hear things repeatedly before we implement things and take action.  You can learn to be resilient by incorporating some of these things into your life (use the ones that make sense for you) 

•   Take responsibility for your results and ask yourself what you’d do different next time.  I once had a presentation that I didn’t properly prepare for and I didn’t know my audience.  My result was no referrals from that presentation. I was frustrated to say the least.   It was an eye opener for me about knowing the audience and what they wanted to hear instead of what I wanted to present. 

•       Reach out to trusted friends, colleagues and family.  Get perspective when needed and ask for help when things aren’t going as planned.  Asking for help can seem unfamiliar and risky yet people generally want to help.  An example would be helping a colleague who had a small email list advertise an upcoming event after he asked for support to get the word out.  

•     Release your emotions -Sometimes “venting” to people you trust and who will just listen is very helpful as you release those toxic emotions. Or have a private cry.  We generally feel better after having a “good cry”. (Contrast this being in denial and acting as if nothing happened and being inauthentic)  After my brother’s memorial service I drove home from Monroe to Spokane alternating between crying, laughing and singing.  Releasing my feelings in this way was so amazing.  By the time I arrived in Spokane I felt so much lighter and freer

•    Get away from the office/business for some fun.  Resilient people tend to enjoy down time to play and relax, often they have a good sense of humor.  What can you start doing today that makes you happy and is fun?  Make a list  of things you enjoy but perhaps have stopped doing and start today.  If you feel limited in your time just take a 10 minute fun break and increase it each week. 

•      Spiritual/daily practice to quiet the mind and connect with a higher power.  Research has shown that people who have faith and a belief in something larger than themselves tend to bounce back quicker from adversities.  Turning inward, even for 10 minutes a day can have a profound effect on your sense of well being 

•    Take good care of yourself by reducing your stressors.  We all live with some stress yet we know that too much of it can have dire effects.  Often when things are tough we forget to take care of ourselves….That means eating well, do some type of physical activity even things such as gardening or vigorous housework or walking the dog and getting proper sleep.  Also keeping up on your medical appointments and dental.  Getting massages/bodywork is also a great way to take care of yourself.

•    See the blessings in the challenges and reframe what has happened (when you are ready).  Resilient people tend to find that silver lining in the challenging times or at least get perspective at some point down the road.  They ask themselves what the learned or what good came out of the situation.  They do not dwell on the pain and often it transforms them and they find themselves helping others in similar situations.