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SELF DEVELOPMENT
D The
POWER of
RESILIENCE An in-depth look at how we deal with adversity and the role that 'resilience' plays in how we cope By Lyn Carman
URING THE EVENTS of the last eight months, most of us have felt, at the very least, a slight tug of the rug out from underneath us. And not every response has been the same – some people have dramatised it; some have totally nailed being calm and centred and some are still working out what to wear. During this time, with coronavirus spreading around the world, loss can take many different shapes. For some people, it’s a loss of loved ones or their health. For others, it’s affecting their financial security, job, essential resources. It may also be a sense of losing freedom and hopes for the future. While for others it can be all of the above and still they have optimism and positivity in the knowledge that we will thrive and be stronger, even in the face of adversity. Have you ever wondered why some people seem to remain calm in the face of a crisis while others appear to come undone at the slightest hint of trouble? People who can keep their cool have what psychologists call ‘resilience’, or an ability to cope with problems and setbacks. So, what is resilience? Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, workplace and financial stressors, or COVID-19. Another definition from Merriam Webster is ‘the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress’ – or to bounce back. Resilience is our ability to bounce back from the stresses of life. It’s not about avoiding the stress but learning to thrive within the stress. I think this expressed well by Eric Greitens in his book Resilience: Hard-won Wisdom for Living a Better
