Building Resilience in 7 Steps

As many parts of the country emerge from isolation following the COVID-19 outbreak, resilience will play an important role in successfully recovering. One thing is for sure; normal will look different for many people moving forward. How do you handle the change will impact your ability to thrive in the future.

Are handshakes, hugs and physical greetings a thing of the past? Will online meetings and virtual offices continue? What jobs and businesses will survive the pandemic? For those that remain, what will be different going forward? What happens if there’s another outbreak as people begin to circulate more? The good news is that there’s one quality within your control which will determine what shape your future takes: Resilience.

The definition of resilience is to recover from a tough situation successfully. It’s the capacity to persevere despite the challenges in front of us. It’s the ability to take a blow, then get up, shake it off and keep going. It’s moving forward one step at a time, even if you can’t see very far down the road.

 Resilience is like a muscle; it must be exercised to become stronger. Here are seven ways to build your resilience.

Focus Only on What You Can Control

Thanks to 24-hour news cycles and endlessly streaming social media feeds, your brain is continuously stimulated with a barrage of information that is stimulating at best but also disturbing. It’s an invitation to worry about things you have very little influence over and a huge distraction away from focusing on what you actually can control in your life. You can’t control other people’s behavior, things happening on the news or the economy. Many things are within your power, including your attitude, thoughts, how you use your time, what you watch on TV and more. Shift your attention to those things you have a direct impact on and don’t worry about the rest.

Create Structure

When your routine is thrown off, it can make you feel adrift. Humans need some structure to navigate chaos, so create a new schedule for yourself. Give yourself time to work, playtime, time for family and friends, and plenty of time to rest. Feeling in command of your own destiny, even in small ways, helps you make sense of any situation.

Take Good Care

Throughout lockdown, people have joked about binging on TV, snacks or cocktails. While some self-indulgence is understandable and even necessary in small doses, don’t let the situation serve as an excuse to let yourself go completely. Real self-care is about keeping yourself physically, mentally and spiritually fit. Eat real, nutritious food. Move every day, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk. Practice gratitude, like writing down three things every day that you are thankful for. Try a mind-calming activity like yoga, prayer or meditation. Create habits that make you feel good in the long-term.

Stay Connected

Reach out to family and friends. Your personal relationships are one of the most important sources of happiness and meaning; they are also a source of strength when you need it. Don’t wait until you have something newsworthy to report. Regularly check-in and say hello. Ask open-ended questions to get the conversation rolling. Listen thoughtfully and be an active part of the conversation.

Find the Good

Consider what new routines or positive developments have come as a result of the lockdown. Maybe you’re engaging with your family more, taking walks with your spouse or doing other things you’d always planned on doing when you had more time. Think of the unexpected bonuses that have come from this strange time. Let them guide your choices as the world starts to establish new norms.

Help Someone Else

Doing something for somebody else is a surefire way to boost your spirits. Whether it’s helping a neighbor, making dinner for your family, volunteering or checking in on a relative, it all helps create a sense of community and well-being and a feeling that you’ll get through this, whatever the situation is.

Reevaluate Your Situation

During this time everyone has had many changes forced upon them. But some change can be welcome. Take this time of transformation to assess what’s working for you in life and what might benefit from an overhaul, a re-do or abandoning it altogether. What are you looking forward to returning to? Are there things you don’t miss? What would you like to do differently going forward? Resiliency is the ability to pivot, to be flexible and to envision a better future. It’s a great time to do some soul searching and determine if you are still on the right path.

You may also like It’s Everyone’s Job to Heal A Broken World. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

Virtual Training Opportunity

Have you always dreamed of fine-tuning your skills or honing your professional skills? Now is our opportunity. I am offering virtual training where I will work with you in a private session. This is a limited time offer, click here for more details.