To portray resiliency, one must overcome pain and grief, challenges, and any adversity that life throws at them. Resiliency isn’t something that can be built overnight, however, with time and intentionality, it can be established. Here are three ways resilient people bounce back from life’s challenges:
They View the Glass as “Half-Full”
Things could always be worse than they actually are. This is a statement some people believe, in order to put their own situation(s) into perspective. When faced with a challenging life decision, grief, or the pain of a broken relationship or divorce, it is normal to retreat to sadness or depression. But, when we take a step back and consider everything that’s occurring within the world and nation, certain things do not seem as bad as others. Viewing the glass as “half-full” also allows them to appreciate life in its current state and to no longer take things/people for granted. They do not dwell on problems. Instead, they look for solutions to work through life’s challenges.
They Interpret Things as a Learning Experience
In addition to seeking workable solutions and not dwelling on problems, resilient people also make it their business to discover a learning opportunity from a negative experience. Life can be one of our greatest teachers. Talking to others who have already been through what you are going through certainly helps. If they can overcome, so can you. Resilient people ask tough questions, conduct various amounts of internal work (self-reflection, healing, therapy, etc.), and always discover new information that will help them become mentally stronger. As mentioned before, with intentionality, resilience can be built within anyone – as long as they are willing to put forth the necessary work.
They Make a Decision to Overcome
Lastly, in all things we go through, we have to ask ourselves, “Am I going to allow this experience to overcome my life, or will I make the decision to overcome?” As a divorce lawyer in Bergen County, New Jersey, I have seen resiliency in my clients, in their ability to bounce back from life’s challenges, sometimes, as if nothing happened. While that statement is easier said than done, it is still possible. Bouncing back takes effort and the ability to heal and understand that life happens to all of us. Certain things will teach us a lesson to allow us to grow and appreciate life. Once you understand that life will not always be sunshine and smiles, and “life” can happen to anyone, you are on the path to developing resiliency. The ability to bounce back from life’s challenges is a capability that many have, but may not have discovered how to harness it. These three methods serve as the cornerstone for activating the resiliency that’s already within you.
Disclaimer
This article contains general information and opinions from Sheena Burke Williams and is not intended to be a source of legal advice for any purpose. No reader of this article should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information included in this article without seeking legal advice of counsel. Sheena Burke Williams expressly disclaims all liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on any content in this article.