Trying times bring challenging conditions and unless you build on your resilience it can drag you into the pit of helplessness. Do stressful times define who you are? How do you remain positive when outcomes are not as you intended?

How we deal with unforeseen events and how we bounce back is what will ultimately help us and protects our mental health and well being.

We all encounter challenges as individuals. Sometimes we can experience challenges at the same time, however we all channel our emotions differently and this is evident from the pandemic of Covid-19 which is a great example

Covid-19 impacted many individuals differently, some more than others. In the turmoil of employment, being stood down temporarily, redundancies, business bankruptcy, no income, being separated from family and friends. Or even general fear of what this means to the world. Life has changed as we used to know it.

Further unforeseen challenges that require our resilience are;

• Work ethic and the stressors of our employment
• Finances
• Family
• Illness/death

How do we become better equipped to build on our resilience? 

1. The first and for most is understanding what we are presently feeling, such as discomfort. Sitting with it is okay, do not try and suppress the feeling.
2. Acknowledging that all humans fear discomfort (at different levels).
3. Feeding into unhelpful thoughts will lead to stress and anxiety. For example, “why did this happen to me?”
4. Anxiety and stress lead into a physical decline such as body aches and pains.
5. Acceptance. It is what it is! (I personally love this). The circumstance cannot be changed, it has happened!
6. It is not the end but the beginning of taking action. This will help you find possible solutions. Write down active steps you can take moving forward. You are only stuck in the mud if you don’t move your feet.

Building resilience at work….

• As mentioned above, recognising the impact of how you feel and how it presents to others.
• Realising pleasant and unpleasant experiences will help you identify why you feel the way you do. Reflection: If it was unpleasant how did I deal with it? 
• Ask yourself what you enjoy at work daily. What are your strengths?
• Remind yourself what are you passionate about? 
• How do you achieve what you set out to do? Your motivation is what maintains, sustains, directs and channels your behaviour over time (Ryan & Deci, 2018) 

All these questions above help you identify your strengths so when a challenging circumstance occurs you can reflect and see it is a minute challenge regarding your work.

Positive psychology says pushing beyond one’s comfort limit transforms mindset, leads to growth and builds resilience.