People with high resilience have better outcomes in challenging work environments, and this leads to an improved work-life balance, and quality living, overall, according to research conducted by PubMed.
Interestingly, a simple Google search about the concept of resilience yields over 200million search results.
So what EXACT ways can you build resilience to attain a successful life?
In an interview with Blair Kaplan Venables — President of Blair Kaplan Communications and Founder of The Global Resilience Project, she shares her top 5 ways to build resilience to achieve a successful life and business.
How did you develop this quality of being resilient?
I’ve had to grow a thick skin and build resilience through a series of life-changing events. For one, while growing up, I had a strained relationship with my Dad. And while trying to rebuild my relationship with him, we learned that he had a terminal illness. Later, I was in a car accident where I got a concussion. My husband had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. My coffee press exploded, and I had first and second-degree burns all over me. Additionally, my father-in-law died after a very short battle of cancer. Three months later, my mother died after battling cancer.
Afterward, I began searching for a deeper meaning. While going through these challenges, I was sharing my story and experiences. Although it may not be easy at first, the truth is, we all have the ability to be resilient. You need to strengthen the resilience muscle.
What particular ways or methods have worked for you to become resilient or strengthen this resilience muscle?
1. Share Your Story
You’ve got to share your story. That’s the first step. Don’t bottle it up and allow the pain to fester. You can see a therapist, write in a journal, or publicly share your story. Let the pain out in whatever capacity you’re comfortable with.
For me, I chose to share my story by writing. After authoring ‘Pulsing Through My Veins: Raw And Real Stories From An Entrepreneur,’ I fully launched ‘The Global Resilient Project,’ which is an avenue for others to also share their resilience stories from all over the world.
2. Practice Gratitude
List at least three things you’re grateful for every day. Set a gratitude alarm, and when it goes off, you list things you’re thankful for; from the past 24 hours. This simple act makes you see the world more positively. Gratitude is a natural antidepressant. When you express gratitude, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which are essential neurotransmitters responsible for your emotions, and make you feel ‘happier.’
So, for instance, even when you’ve had a crappy day, think of the things you’re grateful for, and then reflect on them instead. By consciously practicing gratitude every day, the neural pathways in your brain become rewired to see the world through a more positive lens and will ultimately help you create a resilient nature.
3. Prioritize Your Mental and Physical Health
Drawing reference from the point above, practicing gratitude and maintaining a positive outlook helps to improve your mental and physical health.
Looking after your physical and mental health is crucial for building resilience. Take the time to set up positive routines and rituals that include a healthy and balanced diet, ample sleep, hydration, self care and regular exercise or movement. This curtails the toll of emotions like anxiety or depression and strengthens your body’s ability to be more resilient.
4. Step Away From Work and the Screen
As a social media marketing expert, my main advice is to disconnect. Get away from technology, get away from the screen, go outside and breathe in some fresh air. This will help you be even more productive and creative.
Have your bare feet on the grass or maybe bare feet in the snow if you’re adventurous. Claim time in your schedule and take time away from your screen.
5. Create Systems
Being an entrepreneur can be extremely stressful. By putting tools and systems in place to help you stay organized, you will be more efficient and adaptable to change.
Something that really works well for me is blocking off time in my schedule that is for movement, for breaks and for self care. I also keep Monday’s blocked off from most meetings because it’s my “Boss Day” where I get organized for the week, get creative and make magic happen because I’m not interrupted.
How have these tips helped you create a successful life and business overall?
By sharing my story, practicing gratitude, prioritizing my health, stepping away from work when needed, and creating workable systems, my business has become the most successful it has ever been. This was all because I did certain things to strengthen my resilience muscle. Once you can build your resilience, you can overcome hurdles, and have a successful life and business.
