Resilience Can Be Your Superpower

Why do some people emerge from tremendous challenges with seeming ease and stronger in the process while others crumble and carry the scars forever? The answer: resilience. What is it exactly? In a May 2023 Epoch Times article, Dr. Gayle Myers, an integrative medical doctor offered her perspective: “Resilience is the ability to bounce back from challenging or traumatic situations, to be able to adapt and overcome adversities and setbacks to emerge stronger. It is a superpower that allows you to access your wellspring of tenacity.” Let that sink in. A WELLSPRING of tenacity. And we each have it!
While the benefits of resilience to mental health have been well documented, the article goes on to note that recent research indicates that greater levels of resilience also impact our overall health and in a big way. Turns out that by increasing resilience thereby decreasing stress, positive inroads are made in curtailing disease symptoms and even slowing down the aging process! Cool! Who wakes up every day thinking “I hope I age really fast today?” Nobody. Yet, we inadvertently do that by not tapping into that wellspring.
How to increase resilience? Work on your mindset. Yep, there it is. The corner stone of resilience and the path to that wellspring of tenacity! Remember, anabolic energy increases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins; you know, those “feel good” hormones. They in turn contribute to cell healing, decreased pain and a greater sense of well-being. Conversely, dwelling in catabolic energy increases adrenaline and cortisol which, over the long term, can lead to increased stress, hypertension, obesity, burnout, and an overall dissatisfaction with life.
Remember last August, when I completely lost my vision in my right eye due to complications in surgery? Well meaning friends and relatives often asked me, “What if your vision doesn’t come back?” My answer always confounded them; “I will be grateful for my good left eye and carry on.” I knew the importance that mindset had for my body to heal. I chose to be resilient and it made a huge difference in my recovery, both physically and mentally.
The great news is that mindset is a CHOICE which means resilience is also a choice! You can increase your levels of resilience and decrease your levels of stress by owning and choosing your thoughts in every moment, in every situation. To help with that, build a daily Resilience Mindset. This will prime your brain to look for the uplifting and leverage anabolic energy. It directly changes your perspective of what you see and what you experience.

Resilience Mindset Daily Habits

Practice these daily, make them part of your daily mindset routine. These actions will help you raise your self-awareness which enables you to exercise choice in the moment. The more you practice, the more resilient you become.

Sources: Epoch Times, 5/28/23; BODi Happiness Habits by Petra Kolber; Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)

Ask Better Questions to Enable Better Answers

John Maxwell is one of my all-time favorite thought leaders. On the topic of authenticity he states, “Who you are gives credibility to everything you say.” Indeed it does. I will add that who you are, or better stated…who you are BEING…impacts how what you are saying is received. Authenticity thrives in anabolic energy. Want better or more truthful or more creative answers and solutions? ASK better questions! Better = empowering questions; those based in genuine curiosity without judgment.
Critical thinking is a vital skill that’s gotten a bum rap in recent years it seems to me. The forerunner of critical thinking, Socrates, created what has come to be known as the Socratic Method. What happens when you merge the Socratic Method with an anabolic mindset? Genius thinking, that’s what you get! Socrates lived humbly; he was on a lifelong quest for objective truth, ethics, and virtue. His approach was simple yet required the discipline of never ending self-awareness. In Michael Britton’s book, The Socratic Way of Questioning, he notes that in order to think and reason in a Socratic way, “you need to develop intellectual humility, open-mindedness, an inquiring mind, and a thirst for the truth.” That, my friends, is grounded in authenticity which comes from anabolic energy!
When testing a hypothesis, when seeking clarification on a status report, when searching for a solution to an issue, when trying to strengthen a relationship…set your mindset first, then ask the question. Use empowering words that will elicit a thoughtful response rather than an abrupt yes or no. Mindset matters because you can use “anabolic” words but if your energy is catabolic, who you are BEING in that moment is the opposite of authentic, and the listener knows it. Let’s experiment. First, take a few deep breaths; release any tension you may be feeling. Say this aloud: “What happened?” If you set your mindset and your voice level and tone reflected your anabolic energy, the question is curious, genuine and non-threatening. Now…think of something that you find super annoying. Maybe it’s a general pet peeve or maybe it’s something that happened recently that really got under your skin. Ready? Now, say this aloud: “WHAT HAPPENED???” Feel and hear the difference? You can fake a smile and you can fake words but you cannot fake the energy you emit. To truly practice the Socratic Method for optimal results, merge it with an anabolic mindset!

Your most effective message is the one you live
**-John Maxwell

Put it into Practice

Starting today, rather than saying “How are you?” when you greet someone, set the tone of the encounter by asking “What’s been the best experience of your day so far?” Set the direction of the conversation with a foundation of anabolic energy. You’ll find that the conversation or meeting will be more collaborative, truthful and solution oriented. The world is your energy and leadership lab! Have fun with it.