I had a conversation this weekend about individual resilience. We tend to think about resilience as a thing you do – you bounce back from adversity. But according to Dictionary.com, there is another definition: the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. Not something done, but an inherent quality.
What if the way we build our tolerance for the ambiguity of our current state is something we can cultivate from the inside out?
Part of it is good self-care – nutrition, meditation, spirituality, and social relationships.
But what else? It turns out that it includes:
- Empathy – not always agreeing with the other but being able to see the world through their eyes anyway.
- Realistic optimism – The idea that even after bad things, good things are possible.
- A sense of purpose – Which can be a big dream but can also be caring for loved ones, or creating a piece of art, or anything that gives you meaning
What can you do to cultivate your inner resilience?
Best,
Julie
P.S. We’ll be on zoom again on Monday at noon Eastern to talk about what’s working, where we are getting stuck, and what we think might be next. To join us, please reply to this email and I’ll send you the login info.