I posted this nine years ago…it still works for me. I figure if you have to go through the pain, nuisance, whatever, you might as well get something out of it.
Resilience is essentially a set of skills –- as opposed to a disposition or personality type –- that make it possible for people not only to get through hard times but to thrive during and after them. Just as rubber rebounds after being squeezed or squished, so do resilient people.
—The Science of Bouncing Back, Time MagazineAccording to the article some of the things a person can do to build resilience are
This list isn’t exhaustive, and as usual, one size doesn’t fit all — we each have to find what works for us.
Do you believe it’s possible to become more resilient? If so, do you think it’s worth the effort or would it be easier in the long run to wait and deal with the hard times when they come?
I, of course, like the skill-development approach — mostly because I think it’s fun, but it did pay off handsomely a few months ago when I had shingles in my eye.
August 16, 2015
I especially like items 6, 7 and 8. I’ll always be grateful for all the help Kaitlin has given me in this latest adventure. She is one impressive woman, and I’m so lucky to have her in my life.
August 17, 2024
I agree. I think resilience is a state of mind more than anything. Happiness is a choice. Sometimes you really have to work at it, but it is soooo worth it. Being unhappy and miserable is an awful way to have to go through life, as far as I am concerned. Life really beat me down by my early 30s and I had a last straw situation that defeated my joy, shall we say. For about a year I was pretty devastated by it–lost hope and trust in people. The world looked like a dark place. It was awful. Worst year of my life. The only laughter from me was bitter and sarcastic. That is when I truly learned that my happiness was a choice. That it is not what happens to you but how you choose to live through it. Only you can make yourself a victim. It’s not what others do or say to you, but what you do or say to others that matters. I was in charge of my own soul. End of story. Whoohoo!! Very freeing! 🙂
Yes, it does take commitment and practice.
I agree with most of these. I do wonder if resilience may be partly in our personality, and partly learned..
Certainly a person has to value it, and most of us have to work for it.
I would have to say that resilience has gotten easier as I’ve aged. I mean I’ve always made it through tough times but these days I can do it with less stress.
Experience and practice helps a lot.
I think it something we have or don’t have, we are born with it, or raised with learning to bounce back. we either have it or don’t have it. I have spent my entire life bouncing back from one thing or another. I see people lose a love one to death and some just lay down and die because of it, and others bounce back and that is just how they are.
It’s great when we can do it. 🙂
…Covid taught some of us to be resilient.
Yes.
Wise and inspiring post
🙂
Those are all good lessons for daily living!
🙂
Yes I agree people can but I am not doing a good job at it. Thank you for sharing this. Yes, I think it is worth the effort and I need to try harder.
Good luck. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
I think we can learn to be more resilient…. But I think a lot of it has to do with DNA. I have spent hours looking for a documentary Roger and I saw years and years ago. It studied twins for one thing. I cannot remember what all it showed. But even how things were for our grandparents, even their diet, could have effects on not only the children, but the grandchildren. I know there were two or three things we thought fit family members to a ‘t’….one of those was diet in relation to suffering from depression. And I am not just talking about the blues…
I’ve read about the influence of grandparents too. That’s scary.
I thought after all the pandemic issues – I would bounce right back into my “life” – then I also was looking at future proofing which didn’t take off as I planned – so I stepped back.
Suddenly I had this notion to up sticks and move to another city here in the North Island (NZ) – it’s been a roller coaster with lots of unseen things happening particularly with my health.
I just got on top of a few things in that arena when bingo some “will come some day issues came” – still not over the shock – but it’s not bad.
And as it has gotten better, I’m questioning a number of things I “thought I would do when the pandemic was done”
You’ve been hit by a lot, not just recently but all of your life. I’m in awe of how you keep plugging away.