Resilience is the strength to deal with change, manage difficult situations and recover from setbacks. It involves a set of 6 capabilities which if present, enable you to manage whatever is thrown at you and continue to move forward towards achieving what you and others want.
1. Sense of purpose
This is the core component of the six, and the foundation for all of the others. Not everyone is clear about their purpose and it is frequently something that you will need to re-define as you move through life.
The stronger your sense of purpose, the better equipped you are to handle challenges and setbacks and to recover from them. Are you clear about your direction and goals? Do you understand the purpose of all the activities you engage in?
2. Positive realism
This component is something of a balancing act, between being able to think positively about situations and events whilst being realistic about what can be achieved. (It is not about some naive false optimism!)
It involves being able to generate positive thoughts and feelings about situations. Do you have the ability to take reality checks to reduce the chance of creating unreasonable expectations and subsequent disappointment?
3. Relationships
People matter to all of us, so building supportive and caring relationships is essential. Your interpersonal communication and skills can be an important element of your ability to be resilient, based on how you can handle difficult situations or times. It is also powerful to be able to offer appropriate help and support to others and ask for it, when needed.
4. Determination yet open-minded and flexible
How good are you at seeing things through? When faced with challenges do you deal with them by having a “can do” approach, being proactive and taking action? This component considers how well you finish tasks and things which you have started.
Are you able to keep going in the face of adversity rather than giving up? How adaptable and open-minded are you to provide yourself with a greater range of choices, dealing with different situations.
5. Self-Awareness
This refers to your knowledge and understanding of your inner self, how you think, feel and react. What are the patterns you have in the way you think about, or respond to, different situations and challenges?
Resilient people are able to identify the causes of their success and any issues, then, learn from them. Can you recognise what challenges or situations are beyond their control? Control comes from how they think and react!
6. Self-management –self-reliance
This component examines how well you use your skills and work with resources. How effectively do you manage your time and only take on what you can handle realistically and deliver? Over-commitment creates of pressure for many people.
Are the important aspects or your work and life in balance? Do you take responsibility for yourself and your actions? How well do you look after yourself and have a lifestyle that maintains your energy?