Do you know someone who seems to be able to persevere in the face of adversity? Who has a can-do attitude when it comes to job or life challenges? That is tenacity.
Resilient people are not immune to adversity.
In their personal lives, though, their ability to persevere makes them stronger and happier. It also makes them more appealing for promotions. In their entrepreneurial endeavours, they view losses as opportunities to learn, grow, and win.
The ability to overcome adversity and meet obstacles isn’t limited to a select few. It does, however, necessitate resilience training.
Losing at something can build a self-defeating mindset, just as winners appear to keep winning. Breaking the cycle takes time and effort. We’ve listed several simple strategies that everyone can use to improve emotional resilience and perseverance in the sections below.
Also Read: Gratitude in Our Not-So-New-Normal Situation
Mindfulness Training Materials
Most significantly, practising mindfulness helps you create resilience. Mindfulness is not tough at its heart. It only appears that way because most of us have no idea what mindfulness actually entails.
Consider a situation in which a mother leaves her young son to handle the family store by himself. “Keep an eye on the store while I’m gone,” she says.
What did she mean when she said she was keeping an eye on the store? Is she worried that her son would worry about what might go wrong while she is away? To be concerned about a prospective power loss or a fire? Is she referring to remaining alert?
That is, living in the moment and responding to it?
Yes, forethought and preparation are essential. However, following the planning stage, people waste time thinking about probable undesirable outcomes. Mindfulness is the polar opposite of worrying about what you can’t control right now. It also saps your strength and endurance.
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Mindfulness
True mindfulness is something that can be learnt. For some, this entails devoting time to meditation. Morning workouts, evening routines, nature walks, sports, and better weekend utilisation are all good strategies to refresh and increase resilience.
Painting or gardening, for example, are both activities that bring you back to the present moment.
None of these activities is a mere diversion; the actual diversion is a meaningless concern. Find tasks that involve mental immediacy that you enjoy and do them on a daily basis to help you refocus and build resilience.
Exercises in Writing
Reminding yourself of your blessings is another way to strengthen your resilience.
However, it needs more than a cursory mental evaluation. Set aside a full hour to begin.
Make a list of everything you have going for you, including your personal assets, relationships, and things for which you are grateful. Spend time on it and go through it thoroughly. Gratitude can change your life by increasing your confidence and resilience.
Take a few minutes each evening after that initial exercise to write down what you are grateful for that day. Make it a habit. Approach the practice as a journal or creative writing activity if it helps. Write down the advantages you have during any present struggle, whether on paper or in an email to yourself.
Related: Never Set Out To Break the Rules.
Taking Control of Your Inner Voice
When we are worried, we develop two personalities. That is, we have a voice inside our heads that says, But what if…? or You won’t be able to…. That voice is heard by our second self. Why do we take the criticism as fact? You wouldn’t let your best friend, sister, or child be treated this way.
So, why are you doing this to yourself?
Talk to yourself as if you were talking to someone you care about. That means quieting that first inner voice as soon as it begins to doubt you. “Stop!” say to it. Declare it aloud. You might be surprised by the outcome.
Retaliate with a counter-argument. Tell it about your perseverance talents and resources. Tell it about the hurdles you’ll confront and the benefits you’ll be able to achieve. As you would a misbehaving pet, train and discipline your inner voice. Teach it to be patient, polite, and upbeat around you.
Continue to use this technique. It takes a long time to train your inner voice to be rude to you. Expect things to change slowly at first, but they will. You will get the confidence to endure without that nagging inner voice.
The Kindness Journal is a good place to start.
Taking Charge and Saying “Yes”
Assume you’ve recently lost a parent or been promoted. Despite the fact that these events are at opposite ends of the negative or positive spectrum, they have something in common. Both scenarios are stressful. Everything in my life has recently altered. And you’re at a loss on what to do. You’re not sure if you’ll be able to keep on.
When life throws you a curveball you’re not sure you’ll be able to handle… take on extra responsibilities
Take the wheel. Parents who have lost children, for example, form foundations and awareness campaigns.
Even while they learn on the job, associates who are promoted make changes. Taking the wheel and doing something is what perseverance entails.
Yes, it’s a coping strategy as well as a diversion. However, it can also be used to gain control over an uncontrollable circumstance. You will discover that you can handle more than you thought by saying yes and taking on greater responsibility.
You’ll discover your inner power and tenacity. And you’ll replace your energy-draining fear with your inner leader.