Building Resilience

martineleanne
Nov 27, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Jan 9, 2024

Resilience in some settings is a powerful word that implies strong, skilled, in control and coping. In other settings, especially some professional networking settings I've been in recently, I've heard people say that we shouldn't be using that word any more in healthcare... should we or should we not?

I'm personally all for the word resilience being used not just in healthcare but anywhere. In today's world of some not really making any effort and "bed rotting" making its way around social media, should resilience really be a dirty word?

Resilience essentially means the ability to cope and manage during difficult times. A person is thought to have good resilience if they can cope with life's difficulties (regardless of what they are) and adapt and bounce back to face the challenge (or the next day). I believe every person needs to be able to do this too. It adds to their meaningful activities and mental wellness. If a person can cope and adapt, they won't lose any hard work they previously created. They won't lose their sense of self or self-mastery (the path you choose for yourself).

Some days we do need a duvet day, a bar of chocolate, a glass of wine, a night in front of the TV.

Allowing our minds and bodies to rest and relax are the best things for us. We might feel differently after a night's sleep (most times this is the most useful solution).

But be mindful of how much time is spent having a "duvet day", it should never turn into "bed rotting".

In the long run, these "comforts" are never very beneficial for health if used too often for too long.

Having the ability to cope and to think of problem-solving ideas is unbelievably useful for people. Imagine that you've faced some difficulty, things might even look bleak, but you're able to think of some ideas that might make the situation less bleak, ideas that might resolve or remove the difficulties completely. You might even learn new information in the process...

You will certainly feel better about yourself and prove to yourself that you can survive tough days.

You've done it so far.

Think about the last time something seemed so difficult that you felt hopeless, what did you do?

How long did it take you to resolve?

What did you learn?

Who did you call?

Who was not available and why? Sometimes our friends and family genuinely are not available or cannot help us at the time we really need them, this is not a reason to cut off all ties and contact - understand why they were not present first!

I would also add about how much you share in the workplace. Not everyone does have your best interests at heart. You are paid for your time and your skill-set. The workplace has become somewhere that people expect their well-being to be look after by their employer, and as you should not be facing any irregular or personal difficulties at work; it is not a substitute therapy session either. Just as you might hear "things" about a co-worker, if you tell your colleagues all of your personal stories, those "things" could be about you next time. Be mindful and careful with what you share to people you only share an office space with.