Resilience is all about conquering adversity, and overcoming challenges. Last week's guest Donna expressed it well, with an analogy of taking our baggage and turning it into luggage for personal growth. We can start the process by tapping into our optimism and in their strength, then focus on things that we can personally control. Easier said than done right?
Resilience doesn't mean that we feel good all day, and happy all of the time. But rather that we develop the ability to cope and adapt to negative events that are inevitable in this journey called life. A simple affirmation or mantra might sound something like this. “I will stay positive and work on a solution no matter what.” That mantra opens the door to a resilient mindset. It's important to keep in mind that our subconscious believes anything we tell it to be true. Turning to friends and family for support, learning from past mistakes...finding small joys along the way are also very helpful tools in developing resilience.
Join me in a visualization to enhance resilience in our lives. Get into a comfortable relaxed position. Close down all open tabs and remove distractions, relax and breathe rhythmically. Adjust until you feel comfortable. Now let's breathe in through the nose. A nice long six count breath that's how... hold it for five counts. And breathe out slowly for six. So, I’ll proceed to count for you. In this 6-5-6 breathing pattern and in 123456 hold 12345 breathe out through the mouth 123456... again, into the nose 123456 hold 12345 and out 123456 and for the last time in 123456 hold 12345 and out 123456 Feel yourself relaxing more and more and sinking into a position of comfort. Breathing regularly. If some thoughts start to enter your mind, just tell them to come back in about 10 to 15 minutes, because right now, you are going to relax. Again, breathe in 123456 hold 12345 breathe out 123456. Breathe regularly. gently turn your head slightly to the left, representing the past.
In your imagination, visualize a stately architectural hallway. Very opulent, something with extremely high ceilings that would be in a palace, or in one of the great wonders of the world. painting your own details. As you begin to wander down this beautiful, exquisite hallway. You realize that it is a museum of your life story. There are photos of your birth experiences as a baby, toddler, preschooler and elementary school life and then more pictures and diagrams of your life up until high school graduation or a similar event in your teenage years. All recorded. Take a few minutes to recall the high points as the music plays. (music interlude).
Now let's think about the many challenges that you overcame during that same period of birth through high school. Feel gratitude for the resilience you achieved. Continuing down that hallway, in your imagination or mind's eye. Look at the illustrations of your 20s... your 30s and perhaps beyond, until you reach the current day. Celebrate all of your accomplishments as well as recognizing your challenges. Celebrate your resilience and overcoming as the music plays (music interlude).
Now gently, turn and face forward, leaving the past in the past. And think about the here and now. What challenges are you facing now? And what do you have control over? Now visualize this as the music plays (music interlude). Next, gently turn your head to the right, representing the future. picture what your life will be like when the current challenges are overcome, and your dream life emerges. Use all of your senses to bring this vision to life as the music plays (musical interlude). As we bring this activity to a close let's summon up that feeling again of gratitude... gratitude for overcoming... gratitude for calling on your personal resilience, call it into existence.
Call in resilience! “Call IT in With Dar’!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai