Nurturing the Art of Resiliency

The most empowering finding in resliliency-psychology research is that we have an inborn predisposition to become resilient and change-proficient. Our resiliency can be nurtured through appropriate methods such as:

• remain calm under pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and avoid resiliency fatigue.


• improve our problem-solving skills by using 3 different methods; analytical, creative, and practical.


• keep a playful sense of humor, optimism, and positive feeling during difficult times.


• break free from inner barrier to resiliency by strengthening our inner "selfs" in healthy ways and overcoming the "good child" handicap.


• overcome tendencies to feel like a victim, and stay detached from "victim" reactions to others.


• appreciate our complex qualities such as selfish-unselfishness, optimitics-pessimism, and cooperative-nonconformity.


• develop our unique way of being resilient by being both self-reliant and socially responsible.


• discover how our natural desire to learn is what leads to our life getting better and better.


• become skillful at having things work well for ourselves and others.


• convert misfortune into good fortune.


• master the art of resiliency.

Our resiliency strengths come from self-motivated, self-directed learning, self-managed efforts to develop resiliency skills. Some people who hear or read about ways to become more resilient mistakenly think that the power lies in the recommended method. Just as a can opener doesn't open cans by itself, reading about resiliency skills doesn't make a person resilient. Resiliency comes from deciding to learn good skills for bouncing back from setbacks and working to have things turn out well. Our intention to develop resiliency methods that work for ourselves is what determines our success or failure.

reference:

1. Al Siebert (2005). The Resiliency Advantages: Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back From Setbacks. San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler Publisher INC.