It’s Half-Time––How’s Your Resilience?
It’s Half-Time––How’s Your Resilience?
July marks the half-way point of the year. We’ve spent 183 days of 2021 with 182 to go (as of July 1). How are you doing so far? Are you preparing for a strong finish to this year?
2020 caught most of us off guard and many are still reeling to find some sort of balance in their lives. As I reflect on this time of year––the half-time of 2021––I can’t help but admire the resilience I observe in those around me and around the world.
People are revising and repositioning in various areas of their lives. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as “adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress.” We certainly experienced all of the above last year!
I spent some time during the Fourth of July Holiday to ponder and plan the next six months of this year. Now that the previous year’s heaviness has lifted, I’m considering how I want to spend my time and energy navigating to the finish line.
I watched my garden get pummeled in a weekend hail storm. I’m eagerly watching the resilience of those once flourishing plants. Perhaps they may teach me how to bounce back. I’ve learned from others who’ve weathered the storms of life, that resilience comes from seeking success from setbacks. It’s a quality that requires attention, determination and steadfastness to become a fully developed and strong part of our character.
Consistency and persistence are the keys to reaching this goal. Just as in my garden. Here are a few points I’ve learned along the way, as I continue to build my own resilience:
• Resilient people seek out mentors, teachers and friends who support and encourage them along the way.
• Resilient people take hold of opportunities to move forward in life. They set goals to broaden their abilities.
• Resilient people own the mindset of overcoming adversity. They view set-backs as opportunities to grow, expand and improve.
• Resilient people take on difficult or challenging projects with an “I can do this” mindset.
• Resilient people seem less overwhelmed by adversity or difficulties.
• Resilient people honor and celebrate the “warrior within” as they face life’s obstacles.
As we move into the next phase of this year, I encourage you to use this half-time and consider the ways in which you have grown resilient in the first half of this year. I applaud you for staying the course, staying strong and healthy. We’ve come a long way. Let’s continue the journey stronger than ever before.