Ever have a bad or negative experience? Had your plans, goals, or dreams setback by someone or some circumstance? Maybe you were overlooked for a promotion or lost your job. Perhaps you’re going through a breakup or divorce. Could be that your car broke down, another mishap in your life.
Of course you’ve had your share of negatives. Unpleasant challenges are a natural part of the human experience. None of us are immune. And yes, some events are more painful and enduring than others. Still, it’s not what happens to us so much as it is how we respond to what happens.
“Resilience is our ability to bounce back from life’s challenges and unforeseen difficulties, providing mental protection from emotional and mental disorders.
–Michael Rutter
Your Innate Resilience
Resilience is the way to respond to loss, defeat, failure, and disappointment so that you learn and grow through the experience. Simply defined, resilience is the ability to recover from difficult and challenging events. For me, resilience is a skillset that enables you to navigate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual distress to recover from setbacks and to transcend them so you can thrive.
And get this, you are already resilient. It is innate. Take a moment and consider the daily upsets you experience. Getting stuck in traffic, a friend showing up late or not at all, and the sink stopping up are examples of the smaller challenges you may face regularly. Yet, you work through those difficulties naturally. Seeing the issue for what it is, problem solving, and moving forward are skills you employ to cope with the smaller negative events.
The process is similar when it comes to the big upsets in life like shutdowns, the death of a loved one, or a major car accident. Even though the larger challenges are accompanied by a higher level of anxiety or depression, your innate resilience skillset is still the ticket to dealing with and transcending the negative experience, and growing stronger through it all.
A.M.CASH
Somehow, you disconnected from your innate ability for resilience. This skillset remains within you still; it’s just a matter of reconnecting to it. To learn more about your innate resilience, checkout The Glen Alex Show episode and simply utilize the A.M.CASH method below to assist you in open up to your innate resilience.
A
CCEPTANCE
Recovery and healing start with acceptance. Being realistic about your situation can be difficult and painful. Yet, ignoring reality or sweeping it under the rug only makes it worse and more dreadful. Accepting the way things are for you is not resignation or giving up. Acceptance gives you clarity, which in and of itself, is empowering.
M
INDSET
Many people believe that happiness and joy mean having no problems. This belief is unrealistic and make stressful and challenging events, which are normal human experiences, more painful. Shifting your mindset to recognize that such experiences are learning opportunities designed to strengthen your coping skills, reveal your options, and improve your life.
C
ONTROL
Negative and difficult events tend to strip away a sense of personal control. Loss of control is a huge component of anxiety and depression. One of the best strategies to restore personal control is to focus on what you can do. It’s the small everyday things we have power over that make the biggest difference. Managing what you can is empowering. Some daily activities of control that we take for granted include:
• What you eat
• When you sleep
• What you feed your mind (read, watch, listen to, etc.)
• Who you spend time with (other than children, coworkers, etc.)
• How active you are
A
CTIVITY
Physical movement is one of the fastest and most effective ways to change a negative emotional state and disrupt negative self-talk. Being active burns negative energy, redirects your mind, and releases endorphins. Mindset shifts often occur during physical activity.
S
EEK HELP
There is no shame in asking for help. Everyone needs additional support and guidance from time to time. And seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Acknowledging and accepting that you need more coping skills is empowering because they lead you to grow personally.
H
ELP OTHERS
Helping others is an amazing way to gain a new perspective while supporting another human being who has fallen on hard times. As you genuinely open your heart to someone struggling by donating used goods, money, or time expands your mindset. Then you will see new points of view and options, which can strengthen your resolve and resilience.
“Resilient people turn the tragic into a learning experience. They collect valuable information from their suffering so they may live better, be better, and move on and upward.”
– Glen Alex, Living In Total Health
Life happens. When you face setbacks and challenges that are inherent in the Human Condition, you can recover and thrive. Tapping into your innate ability to be resilient enables you to move through life’s obstacles in such a way that you learn from them and grow through the process, keeping anxiety and depression at bay. Utilize the A.M.CASH method to ignite your natural resilience skillset. And thrive.