What kind of person would you consider yourself to be; glass half full or glass half empty? In general, I would consider myself a positive and “glass-half-full” type of person. I am optimistic, hopeful, and hope-filled. On the occasions however, when aspects of life, whether personal or professional do not work out or go to plan, what is our response? We all go through varying issues, challenges, and tragedies, some deeply impacting and others mildly annoying and inconvenient. For the challenges on the mid to lower end, I would like to remind us what we can do to support and build resilience through these trying times.
The ability to shift our perspective is really important. How many times have we lost sight of the bigger picture when we are going through challenges? We might make statements such as “I’m having a bad day … everything is going wrong … everything always goes wrong!!” When the reality is, it’s just a moment or part of the day which was great. In the middle of the storm, when we are fully entrenched, it can really feel incredibly overwhelming, but the ability to shift our perspective and take a more realistic view on what is happening is needed. Reflecting on the context can be instrumental in helping us to bounce back. It’s never ‘all’ bad, terrible or even a disaster. So choose to remain positive and talk positively to yourself.
In all areas of our lives, it is helpful to remember that ‘no man is an island’ or in other words, no one was designed to do everything by themselves and be fully sufficient. Whilst many professionals revel in the idea that ‘they’ve got it’ and ‘can handle it’ at times that is not the solution. Speaking to someone, and getting support is. Support could look like a listening ear, advice, practical help or signposting to additional resources. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, but knowing you are not processing or managing the challenge by yourself is really advantageous. In turn, this supports you in building resilience, as more often than not, the support is also given with encouragement.
No one likes to be misunderstood, and if the source of the challenge comes from someone else, remember to take what could be considered as helpful constructive criticism which you can learn from and leave the rest. Focus in on your strengths, what you have accomplished, and who you have positively impacted and helped. Read over the CV of your life and celebrate what you have accomplished and achieved along the journey. It can be easy to stay stuck when someone else’s words bruise us, but again everything in context. You’re an amazing human being and a hard-working professional, you will not get it right 100% of the time, and that is okay. Cultivate a healthy relationship with failure and grow from that place. Every failure really is an opportunity to learn and grow. As we focus and work with our strengths this can help build resilience.
I have no idea what challenge or challenges you may currently be facing, and for some of the life-changing situations, the solutions will undoubtedly need to be more complex and robust. For the everyday hiccups and situations, we face, I hope there has been a nugget that you can put into practice. Theory and information are great, but it’s what we do with it, that makes the lasting difference. You are already resilient, be intentional about continuing to strengthen and increase it. Have a great week ahead and stay encouraged.
Francesca McDowall, July 2023