Resilience
Have you ever thought about how the most difficult experiences in your life have shaped you? Were they catalysts for a change in direction? Did you decide to “toughen up “and get on with it? Did you make a decision that you would set up your life so that it would never happen to you again? Did the situation leave a bitter taste in your mouth? Perhaps you didn’t deal with it at all? Or maybe you went to the roots of your pain and began to see yourself and the world in a whole new light.
The ability to master life is not so much about seeking happiness through external experiences but rather cultivating the inner resources that support resilience and inner joy.
Many see resilience based on its original definition: the ability to ‘bounce back ‘ to our original state after a period of extreme stress or adversity. For me, it’s about how we can grow through and from the experience.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of perceiving resilience as merely a ‘coping mechanism’. Often , when we are under pressure, survival mode kicks in, we become goal oriented and action focused and we feed on adrenalized energy. Whilst this is a helpful built in mechanism and strategy in the short term, the danger is that no space and time is created for recovery. The other common pattern is that we attach certain thoughts and behaviours to the situation, and fall into the trap of blaming others, or taking on more responsibility for the situation than is necessary.
Peak performance and the ability to thrive in a business environment requires the cultivation and development of the quality of resilience.
10 qualities of resilient people:
1.
Feeling of safety and belonging in the environment
2.
A solid support structure within the organisation and the ability to access sources of support on a professional and personal level.
3.
Emotional intelligence which requires a strong sense of self.
4.
The ability to feel and channel emotion appropriately, which translates into the ability to respond rather than react to situations.
5.
The ability to harness and manage energy through rest and recovery , physical health and conscious lifestyle.
6.
Adaptability and open mindedness
7.
Cultivating belief systems and perceptions that facilitate using challenges as opportunities to grow.
8.
The skill of shifting areas of focus appropriate to the situation.
9.
Self awareness and mindfulness
10.
A sense of meaning and purpose.
Resilience is about cultivating equanimity, the skill of resting in the eye of the storm knowing that “this too shall pass”.
But how does one get there? It begins with awareness that we already have all the inner resources at our disposal. We simply have to be reminded how to tap into them.
Mindfulness and Conscious Breathing are simple keys.
A daily breathwork and mindfulness practice just 15 minutes a day will build up your resilience muscle, will assist you to ride the waves of change and light up new pathways in your body, mind and heart.
Simple mindfulness practice :
Set the timer on your phone for 15 minutes, making sure that you won’t be disturbed.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position and become aware of the physical sensations in your body and breath.
As soon as you become aware of the thought, simply watch it and return to your breath.
The key is not to create an empty mind, but rather to create a distance between you ( the “watcher “) and the reactive mind .
Dr Ela Manga
Integrated Medical Practitioner
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