How would respond if you made a huge mistake at work? What if you suddenly lost your job? What would your next steps be? Are you resilient enough not to break from the stress?
Resilience is not just a word touted in workplace well-being programs – it’s a fundamental approach to life. It’s the ability to bounce back from adversity and to experience setbacks without letting them negatively impact your optimism for the future.
Resilient thinkers have a core set of beliefs and practices in common. How can you can adopt these beliefs and practices? Here are some tips to get you started.
Always have hope
Resilient people are hopeful. Rather than seeing a situation through a lens of doom, they ask themselves “What will we do better next time?”
Connect to your sense of higher purpose
When you believe you are contributing to something important, you will feel compelled to take positive action even when things look bleak. When you believe your actions have meaning, you’re less likely to give up.
Look after yourself first
Resilient thinkers know they must exercise good self-care habits to stay strong. Physical self-care involves getting enough rest to recharge and rejuvenate. Self-care habits can also be psychological. Resilient people know how to set boundaries when necessary and how to avoid getting caught up in drama triangles.
Operate from a belief that solutions can be found
Resilient thinkers are solution-focused. They do not engage in defeatist thoughts. Very often, there is an answer or an alternative you haven’t thought of yet. Focusing on that can help you navigate rough waters.
Life is a series of ups and downs – there can’t be one without the other. One of the most important life skills you will ever learn is how to pick yourself up every time you fall, and start again. The more times you get back on your feet, the more resilient you will become. And when you’re resilient, there is nothing that can hold you back.
Want your team to become more resilient? Organise an onsite training session.
Training your entire team is a great way to boost success. Not only will everyone have a shared understanding of resilience techniques, they’ll be able to coach each other back at work. Running a group training session reaps a much better result than sending individuals to ad hoc classes. If you would like me to train your team, I can customise a program covering skills such as:
- Optimistic thinking patterns
- Solution focused approaches to problems
- Active constructive communication
- Growth mindset
Check out the full range of courses you can choose from on my website.
About the author of this article
Eleanor Shakiba has dedicated her career to helping talented professionals build their confidence, communication skills and leadership savvy. She is a positive psychology trainer and success coach, based in Sydney. Find out how Eleanor can help you and your team. [Link to TLS homepage]