Like many, I am a big fan of TED Talks, and when I think about resilience, a key skill to cultivate during these challenging times, I think of Shawn Achor’s “The Happy Secret to Better Work” ….and yes, it involves a magical unicorn! Check it out:
Impact of Positive Psychology
From Achor’s talk about positive psychology, we learn that our circumstances do not solely define our reality. Wow! Now, this revelation does not stem from the land of rainbows and unicorns, but rather that of scientific study. Achor debunked the myth that “our external world is predictive of our happiness levels.” He explained:
We're finding it's not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality… If I know everything about your external world, I can only predict 10% of your long-term happiness. 90% of your long-term happiness is predicted not by the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world.
Reframing for resilience matters. We are not victims of the world or pawns on a chess board. If we choose to, with time, support and practice, we can build our resilience “muscles” and meaningfully improve our outlook and performance during tough situations.
This is true not only in our personal lives but also in our professional lives. Organizations recognize this and as of late, have been increasing their mindfulness and resiliency learning and development offerings as well as bolstering internal marketing for wellness and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) tools.
To support employee engagement and business continuity, companies are helping employees harness resilience, which can reduce burnout and uphold performance. Anchor noted, “75% of job successes are predicted by your optimism levels, your social support and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat.” (The remaining 25% of success is drawn from IQ.) Resilience cannot be ignored; it can and must be developed.
What is Resilience?
Knowing that we need to be resilient, how would one define this habit? How do we pin down what at times can seem like a philosophical subject? The American Psychological Association defines resilience as:
The process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress... As much as resilience involves "bouncing back" from these difficult experiences, it can also involve profound personal growth.
Resilience is not merely an action or tactic; it is a learned trait and habit. It is a honed and practiced skill employed in the face of change and challenge.
Rising to Hope
Inspired by a recent event with Kimberley Faith and Black Sheep, I was touched by two mantras, “resilience on the rise” and “HOPE - Harness Our Power Everyday.” As the rate of change in our world increases, resilience has become even more critical. The beauty of resilience is that we are practitioners; we can do our best, stumble, fall, rise and try again. The value is in trying and growing. The journey, not the destination.
When faced with grim challenges, hope is key. Instead of waiting for the storm to end, we can choose to “HOPE - Harness Our Power Everyday.” Drawing on positive psychology, we know that what we do and how we view the issue at hand matters. This is powerful! We have the ability to bring forth positive change and productive outcomes.
Practicing Resilience
How do we reframe our outlook for resilience? While this answer can and should be highly individualized, a few techniques include:
Deliberately choosing our attitude.
Taking up gratitude journaling, which has been proven to aid reframing. This less than 5-minute daily exercise can rewire our brain’s tendency to see the positive in situations.
Doing something nice for a friend/colleague. Achor emphasized, “random acts of kindness are conscious acts of kindness.”
Monitoring ourselves through the day for our location above or below “the line,” as illustrated by the Conscious Leadership Group in the following video. Above the line, optimism fuels success; below the line, our reptilian brain quietly sabotages us. When we dip below the line, pause and reposition yourself.
To the Point
In the spirit of Achor’s TED Talk, may we all find the courage, self-awareness and resilience to mimic his sister, Amy, when she tumbled from the bunk bed. When we fall down, may we get back up and happily say, “I think this means [I’m] a unicorn.”
Let’s rise, let’s harness, let’s reframe for resilience.
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