Resilience doesn’t just mean being strong
Published: 04:10 PM,Oct 22,2024 | EDITED : 08:10 PM,Oct 22,2024
Resilience is often misconstrued and associated with “being strong”. Frequently celebrated as a hallmark of robustness, a badge of honour, an unyielding and unwavering ability to withstand life’s adversities without faltering. Au contraire, this tapered definition can impose unrealistic expectations on individuals navigating life's challenges, and may instil an adverse effect.
True resilience involves the capability to recover from setbacks and adapt to change, all the while acknowledging, expressing and processing our emotions. One can often misinterpret true resilience with simply enduring. The latter encompasses moving through hardship with absolute determination and grit, dismissing any sentiment and simply surviving. The former intertwines vulnerability, authenticity, adaptability and emotional intelligence. Perfect components that hold space for true strength. It’s a willingness to fall apart, to collapse, to allow all the feelings to come up, so we can generate an honest and dependable pathway for healing and growth.
With life’s unpredictable nature, those who cultivate resilience are typically adaptable in response to changing circumstances, habitually possessing the ability to recognise that change often leads to learning opportunities. This flexibility can manifest as problem-solving skills or a willingness to re-evaluate one’s goals. Robust and vigorous individuals pivot and find new ways to navigate obstacles. They tend to possess a high degree of emotional intelligence, through understanding and managing one’s own emotions, as well as empathising with others. This opens the gateways to process their feelings constructively, while maintaining healthy relationships.
Simply “surviving” life’s challenges through pain suppression or denial doesn’t make us strong — as those enduring methods don’t provide the necessary time, compassion nor energy needed to process raw emotions. True strength isn’t merely surviving, but being open to what will come up, rather than simply devising distracting strategies or switching off from the connection to our sentiments and sensations.
Resilience is a skill that can be developed over time. Encouraging a growth mindset, embracing challenges, engaging in self-reflection and seeking feedback can help individuals identify their strengths and areas for improvement, making them better equipped to handle future struggles.
While strength implies a certain toughness or the ability to withstand pressure, resilience embodies a broader and more nuanced understanding of how we cope with trials and tribulations. It’s recognising when to seek support while understanding and processing emotions — a fundamental part of this human experience.
It is far more complex than merely being strong. Strength suggests unwavering toughness, whereas resilience embodies a blend of flexibility, adaptability, vulnerability, emotional awareness and a growth mindset, all the while being able to change direction when circumstances shift. It involves acknowledging feelings, seeking support and being flexible in the face of adversities.
Embracing these elements can foster a deeper understanding of one’s emotional landscape and ultimately lead to a more fulfilled life. Resilience is about bouncing back and learning from hardships, not simply enduring pain or suppressing our feelings.
By shifting our perspective and mindset towards change and resilience, we can better support ourselves and others in navigating the storms of life, with grace and compassion.
True resilience involves the capability to recover from setbacks and adapt to change, all the while acknowledging, expressing and processing our emotions. One can often misinterpret true resilience with simply enduring. The latter encompasses moving through hardship with absolute determination and grit, dismissing any sentiment and simply surviving. The former intertwines vulnerability, authenticity, adaptability and emotional intelligence. Perfect components that hold space for true strength. It’s a willingness to fall apart, to collapse, to allow all the feelings to come up, so we can generate an honest and dependable pathway for healing and growth.
With life’s unpredictable nature, those who cultivate resilience are typically adaptable in response to changing circumstances, habitually possessing the ability to recognise that change often leads to learning opportunities. This flexibility can manifest as problem-solving skills or a willingness to re-evaluate one’s goals. Robust and vigorous individuals pivot and find new ways to navigate obstacles. They tend to possess a high degree of emotional intelligence, through understanding and managing one’s own emotions, as well as empathising with others. This opens the gateways to process their feelings constructively, while maintaining healthy relationships.
Simply “surviving” life’s challenges through pain suppression or denial doesn’t make us strong — as those enduring methods don’t provide the necessary time, compassion nor energy needed to process raw emotions. True strength isn’t merely surviving, but being open to what will come up, rather than simply devising distracting strategies or switching off from the connection to our sentiments and sensations.
Resilience is a skill that can be developed over time. Encouraging a growth mindset, embracing challenges, engaging in self-reflection and seeking feedback can help individuals identify their strengths and areas for improvement, making them better equipped to handle future struggles.
While strength implies a certain toughness or the ability to withstand pressure, resilience embodies a broader and more nuanced understanding of how we cope with trials and tribulations. It’s recognising when to seek support while understanding and processing emotions — a fundamental part of this human experience.
It is far more complex than merely being strong. Strength suggests unwavering toughness, whereas resilience embodies a blend of flexibility, adaptability, vulnerability, emotional awareness and a growth mindset, all the while being able to change direction when circumstances shift. It involves acknowledging feelings, seeking support and being flexible in the face of adversities.
Embracing these elements can foster a deeper understanding of one’s emotional landscape and ultimately lead to a more fulfilled life. Resilience is about bouncing back and learning from hardships, not simply enduring pain or suppressing our feelings.
By shifting our perspective and mindset towards change and resilience, we can better support ourselves and others in navigating the storms of life, with grace and compassion.