Resilient people don’t shy away from difficult or uncomfortable situations that they know they must deal with to create the life they want.
Take Susan for example. She came to me recently to talk about wanting to go from full-time to part-time work as a massage therapist. While she’s clear on her why — more time for travel and family — Susan is anxious about dealing with her client’s reactions when she invites them to move on to other practitioners.
There are a lot of nuances to making this sort of transition, but two main areas are involved. The logistics of Susan’s schedule changes and the emotional reactions of both clients and Susan to transition to the new schedule. I’m working with Susan on both aspects to help her move her vision forward, and we’re calling on her strengths to see her through.
Not sure what strengths you have to call on when challenges arise?
Positive Psychology researcher Martin Seligman and his team created a survey that can help you identify what your strengths are. Some examples include bravery, hope, perseverance, creativity, humor, and teamwork.
For a PDF of the whole list, click HERE.
Knowing your strengths isn’t just good information, it can help you navigate difficult times, create better relationships, and boost your self-esteem and self-confidence — all things that help you become more resilient.
For Susan, she’ll use her creativity to clarify the best course of action to change her schedule and when, plus how she’ll help each client transition to a new therapist. She’ll call on her humanity and social skills when the times comes to speak to people. And throughout the process, Susan will use her spirituality to keep her grounded in her vision, present in the moment, and open in her heart.
All in all, seeing this transition as an opportunity to use her strengths and as a learning process are the two positive perspectives Susan can keep in mind. And taking these perspectives is just what resilient people do.
Resilient people approach life with their strengths in the foreground, rather than focusing on their weaknesses, fears, past mistakes, or negative future projections. And they see every situation as an opportunity for learning.
To take the free strengths test and find out your top 24 strengths and values, go to https://www.viacharacter.org. Be sure to look for the free test and test results buttons, unless you want to pay to get the more comprehensive reports.
Once you identify your strengths, pick one to focus on for a week. Try bringing that strength to every situation and interaction. This focus will strengthen it and your sense of your resilience.
All My Best,
P.S. I’d love to hear what you’re top 5 strengths are! Mine are creativity, curiosity, perspective, fairness, and kindness. Please share yours here on the blog.