Thread Title: Cultivating Resilience
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges. It involves adapting to difficult circumstances, maintaining a positive outlook, and persevering in the face of adversity. Cultivating resilience can help individuals navigate life's ups and downs with greater ease and grace.
Discussion Prompt:
- Think of a time when you faced a major setback. How did you bounce back from it? What strategies or coping mechanisms did you use?
- How can developing resilience help you build a more fulfilling and meaningful life?
@Sompo2402
Thank you for sharing with us!
@Sompo2402
Here is my version: I found myself leaving my family, the one that I created with my hard work and dedication, to not losing them forever, yet nonetheless losing them and it tore me apart that the father of my daughter would not accept me back into his life ( as I now better understand, why that was). The perseverance came when I still had yet to get over the hope to have and find love and maybe find a new family as well for me. In the long run, I managed to do just that. I allowed myself to just be and experience and date and have fun taking the single route and it lead me into the beautiful life and family I had now with being able to see my oldest daughter on the weekends and an everlasting friendship! <3
Thank you for sharing and allowing me to reflect , my own story through perserverance.
@DivineButterfly
It sounds like you've been through a lot, and it's wonderful to hear that you've found happiness and fulfillment in your life now. Reflecting on our own stories and experiences can be a powerful way to understand ourselves better and appreciate how far we've come. Thank you for sharing a piece of your journey with us!
@Sompo2402
I never realized how developing resilience can truly improve your quality of life until I finally started to do it myself. Resilience is a part of the growth process. At first, failures and setbacks feel like the end of the world, but with some time, you learn how to readjust your goals and set yourself up for success.
@delicateMonkey
That's a powerful realization, and it's great to hear that you're developing resilience. It's true that resilience plays a crucial role in personal growth and overall well-being. Here are some reflections on the importance of resilience and how it can improve the quality of life:
I'm honestly not sure how to build resilience. I see the list of benefits are already available in another reply.
I hope someone will be able to elaborate on the steps towards building resilience for everyone's benefit. 😊
Nice post
TBH I don't know how much the post applies to me. I've had a few setbacks in my life, the most recent major one being the onset of my main chronic condition. As it is chronic, I will have it for the rest of my days...you don't "bounce back" from something like that.
If I've ever been resilient at all, it wasn't by bouncing back. In my case it's more like slowly grinding my way up a hill....when I have the energy for it.
Also, re the last question in the OP: that is based on the assumption that life has meaning to begin with.
You can find or make meaning in your own life, if you try. But life itself? No, I don't believe it has any meaning...no more than the universe at large inherently means anything. (Spoiler alert: it doesn't)
@Sompo2402 Thank you for this thoughtful post on resilience. It's such an essential skill for navigating life's challenges. I recall a major setback when I faced a job loss. Bouncing back involved leaning on my support network, focusing on self-care, and setting small, achievable goals to regain confidence. Developing resilience helped me grow stronger and more adaptable, enabling me to build a more fulfilling and meaningful life by embracing change and finding new opportunities.
- A good example of setback was when I went through job after job miserable. I experienced sexual harassment multiple times, as well as other stressful work environments. I had a very escapist attitude, not a positive or strong one. I got sick at work and was a nervous wreck. But, where resilience came in, I kept applying for other jobs. I looked every day without giving up. I went deeper into company research and wrote even when there was no job announcement. Finally someone responded, and they’d been looking for someone for years.
- I want to be more resilient so that I don’t feel so set back from every little confrontation and circumstance.
@Sompo2402 I think resiliency strategies are something that we practice and develop overtime. It's not an innate thing that we possess but there's a learning curve as well. For me, building resilience can lead to a better life as it can ultimately serve as a reminder that no matter what happens, we can always bounce back.
One resilience strategy I found to be useful is having a creative outlet. It's like turning your pain into a tangible form of art. It's beautiful and I think I've learned to develop it over the years.