Bouncing Forward: Key Insights from my Reframing Resilience Keynote
Did you know? It's World Resiliency Month! The timing is perfect because just last month, I had the opportunity to share my story of resilience in a keynote presentation. I'm excited to pass along some key insights from that presentation to our DJC community as well.
Here's what you need to understand first though: Resilience and survival are often misunderstood as one and the same while there are fundamental differences. Survival is the immediate, instinct-driven reaction to staying alive in the face of danger. It’s about the short term: doing whatever it takes to make it through a crisis. Resilience, on the other hand, is what comes after. It’s the ability to bounce back and grow following adversity, a crucial part of our long-term emotional and psychological well-being.
Deep-Diving into Resilience
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties while adapting to or managing significant sources of stress or trauma. This ability to cope positively (both mentally and emotionally) with a crisis or adversity is what allows us to return to our pre-crisis status efficiently. It involves strength and adaptability, turning what could be a breaking point into a turning point.
Here's the difference between a positive and negative coping cycle:
Positive Coping Cycle
Negative Coping Cycle
Where Does Resilience Come From?
It’s a common misconception that some people are simply born resilient, while others are destined to be more responsive to stress. The truth is that resilience is more of a journey than a fixed trait; it can be learned and cultivated through practice. Resilience is also significantly enhanced by external support—family, friends, mentors, and communities play an essential role in helping us build this crucial skill.
Building Resilience
Moving from a reactive to a proactive approach in life means reframing our view of resilience. By seeing it as an integral part of overall health and wellness, we begin to prioritize its development in our lives. This proactive perspective highlights the role of resilience in helping us thrive—not just survive—in the face of adversity.
In "Raw Coping Power: From Stress to Thriving" by Joel Bennett, PhD, seven basic principles outline how we can fundamentally alter our relationship with stress to foster personal and collective growth:
Humans naturally seek out stressful situations as opportunities for transformation.
We can shift our perception of stress from a catastrophic disruption to an invigorating element of life.
Everyone possesses an inherent ability to cope with stress, which can be harnessed for self-improvement.
Our values shape how we interpret and react to stress, potentially turning it into a thriving experience.
Social groups play a crucial role in helping individuals leverage their coping abilities, transforming stress into a communal thriving experience.
By embracing boldness beyond mere resilience, we can achieve peak states of flourishing.
Our nervous system's sophisticated feedback mechanism equips us to handle stress effectively at various levels.
Tying it Together
Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back; it's about bouncing FORWARD! It’s a proactive skill that can be nurtured and strengthened over time through self-awareness, practice, and support from those around us. Embracing resilience means recognizing that while life may bring difficult waves, we have the capacity to meet them head-on and emerge stronger and more capable than before.
Keep Rockin',
Dave
