Resilience_LinkedIN

When the Going Gets Tough: Coping

by ResilienceSkills DevelopmentStressWellness

“No one escapes pain, fear, and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.”

— Eric Greitens, Resilience: Hard-won wisdom for living a better life

Resilience_LinkedIN

According to apa.org ,“Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.”

Those two words, “adapting well” in that definition make all the difference as to how resilient you actually are. They continue on by saying “With the right tools and supports in place, one thing is sure: You will not only make it through the challenges of your river adventure.You will also merge a more confident and courageous rafter.”

Adapting Well

Honestly, I couldn’t imagine white water rafting – not sure that I am ready to develop that type of resilience but I have made it through some tough challenges and I know that I am more resilient as a result.” I used to say, how much broader do my shoulders need to be…well, as it turns out that developing our resilience is an ongoing exercise. Each instance strengthens our coping muscles so that we come out stronger and better prepared for future challenges.

No matter what challenges we experience, one thing we can control is how we respond to them. Some coping strategies are negative or even destructive, while others are positive and life-affirming. Some people try to avoid the situation, others resort to alcohol to numb the pain, but some manage to tap into resources of inner strength that they never knew they had.

Your Story

Think Back to a Time...

Think about challenges you’ve experienced in the past, and take some time to reflect and list some of them.

Ask yourself these questions: 

  • How did I cope at the time? 
  • How would I cope now in that same situation?
  • Has anything changed?
  • Which of my coping strategies are positive, and which ones are negative?

Share your Story

Would you like to share your story of a situation from your past? If so, we would love to hear about it. Tell us what the situation was. How you coped then. How you might cope differently today? How you have grown as a result of the challenge and increased your resilience. 

If you would like to share your story with me, please do so in confidence through my Google Forms link by clicking here. The link will take you to a Google Form with the questions above. If your story is chosen as one that would be great to share, we will only do so with your express written permission.

Crystal Ball

Do You Know What Engages You?

by Employee ExperienceTeam ManagementWellness

So many people have uttered the words, “I wish I could work in a job that’s truly right for me.” Yet, very few people really know what their ideal job actually is. How can someone get a better understanding of what career is right for them so they can close the gap between working a job and fulfilling a passion? So, what do I need? A crystal ball?

Potential and Passion
Crystal Ball

According to a recent article by Jordan Devos for Toptal.com, Maslow determined that the greatest human desire is to reach our personal potential. “What a man can be, he must be.” This typically happens through personal growth and learning new things. 

In terms of the purpose of a project, personal potential is put into action when it aligns with a personal passion. Ikigai, a Japanese concept meaning “a reason for being,” states that passion consists of what you love and what you’re good at. Reaching your potential in an area that you enjoy can have a profound effect on you and your work. It can contribute to your personal happiness, inspire a team, or positively impact the lives of others. Whatever the contribution is, your passion and expertise have the opportunity to be at full capacity.

Finding Your Purpose

Most people can generally tell the difference between what makes them feel good and what does not. However, they don’t always understand why they feel that way. 

Assessments are a great way to uncover insights and find out the how, the what and the why behind the things we do on a regular basis. Until we truly know ourselves, we may simply be repeating the cycle of working one unsatisfying job after another.

Simon Sinek states, “Once you understand your WHY, you’ll be able to clearly articulate what makes you feel fulfilled and you’ll better understand what drives your behavior when you’re at your natural best.”

How do I Find My WHY?

Not with a crystal ball. Assessments help to uncover these answers – objectively. I like to use an assessment as the benchmark of your absolute True North. Using assessments effectively is a lot like putting together a puzzle. At first, you have a lot of pieces but you’re not quite sure what to do with them. As the puzzle starts to come together, it gets easier and easier to get to the finish line. Using multiple assessments together has the same effect. The more information you have about yourself, the easier it will be to find your purpose and either find a job that matches it or reshape your perspective in your current role.

If you’re one of my clients, you have likely already taken an assessment that uncovered your primary driving forces. If so, have you taken it to the next step  by identifying specific values words that support your primary driving forces? 

For those of you who haven’t yet used one of our assessments, please feel free to email me or DM me to request a complimentary report and debrief. 

Click here to download a sample Employee Engagement Report

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