Bouncing Back From 2020
5 tips to boost your inner strength and resilience in times of upheaval
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius
How to Find Inner Strength and Boost Your Resilience in Times of Social and Political Upheaval
I know I’m not the only one who sees how erratic life has evolved, especially since the beginning of the year 2020. Sure, there’s always been negativity surrounding us each day, but with COVID-19, job losses, the election year in the US, racial injustices and much more all hitting at once, it can provoke fear, stress, anxiety and even depression. It may feel like the world is crashing down around you, as if it’s not safe to step outdoors to live your life to the fullest.
But remember: Yes, what’s happening is without a doubt awful, but you’re much stronger than what’s making you feel vulnerable. You have the power to leverage your inner strength in challenging times such as this and thrive. In other words: you can learn how to be resilient.
Psychologists at the American Psychological Association define resilience as:
‘the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. As much as resilience involves “bouncing back” from these difficult experiences, it can also involve profound personal growth.’
What’s more, in their book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, Dennis Charney, a world-renowned neurobiology expert, and Steven Southwick, a psychiatry professor at Yale University, explain that people can train their brain to be more resilient by harnessing their stressors and using them to their advantage. This sure sounds like something we could all use in today’s world!
So let’s look at some specific steps you can take to keep you strong, or even help you grow, in these challenging times.
Self-Care During Chaos
Restoring your equilibrium has a lot to do with self-regulation. It can be hard to think about yourself right now, especially if you’re feeling the ramifications of the chaotic times. Maybe you’re being hit with financial trouble, trying to home-school your children or perhaps you fear stepping outside because you never know if the next person you pass will get you sick.
However, these are all outside circumstances, and if you want to be resilient, you need to focus on your own inner self. Take care of your mind and body, and allow yourself to recharge from the draining things of everyday life so you can keep pushing forward.
Accept the Things You Cannot Change
According to Susan Luck, Director of Nurse Coaching at Rezilir Health™, and board-certified in health and wellness coaching and holistic nursing, one of the best ways you can foster inner strength and resilience is by accepting the things you cannot change. You’re not responsible for COVID-19 or the injustices in the world.
Sure, there are things in life that are worth fighting for, but don’t let it beat you down so much that you feel like you’re reduced to a hollow shell. Focus on the things you can change to make the world a little better, such as donating or volunteering, as this will inevitably become a catalyst to support the bigger picture.
Turn Off the News
This one can be tricky because you should be aware of what is going on, but not so much that it consumes you. There’s a difference between using knowledge to prepare versus allowing that information to drag you down and feel vulnerable.
With that being said, try making it a point to turn off the news each day for a bit and allow yourself to disconnect from it all. This is even recommended by authorities such as the Queensland Government in Australia. Without those distractions and noise from diverse perspectives, give yourself some time to process your own thoughts, and focus on your own well-being.
Know You’re Not Alone
If you’re feeling anxious, depressed or merely need comfort during such uncertain times, know that you’re never alone. Thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, you can still stay connected with your loved ones, partake in online groups with others like you, and even talk to a virtual therapist if need be.
You’re not weak if you need to reach out to others to make it through. In fact, reaching out in the first place is another inner strength milestone you should be proud to have accomplished.
Redefine Your Goals
If someone planned on opening a restaurant at the beginning of 2020, only to find that the industry wouldn’t survive in the traditional sense, the next best thing to do is not give up, but to improvise with an online business. In Australia, for example, as soon as lockdown started, many cafés and restaurants almost instantly shifted to takeaway menus only, thereby making the best of a dire situation — it helped keep them afloat. By the same token, I witnessed social ‘sip & paint’ classes shift from studio sessions entirely to online classes. It was inspiring to see the creativity, flexibility and resilience in those businesses.
Did you have a mission to get into shape, and the gyms closed down? Sign up for online workout programmes, or discover a new fitness passion (such as running). You see, you have the ability to flex your innovative mind and overcome obstacles such as this. All you need to do is understand that there is more than one way to accomplish your goals and still strive for them. Being able to persevere and work towards aspirations is a true sign that you’re much more resilient than you may have made yourself out to be.
Conclusion — You’re Stronger Than You Realise
COVID-19, election-year political turbulence, social injustice riots and everything else that’s currently rearing its ugly face today can all take a toll on your mind and body. No matter how heavy these adversities weigh on you, the fact of the matter is that you’re only human, and you’re only one person.
You can’t control everything that’s going on outside, but the most amazing thing is you can control how you react to it. When you develop resilience and inner strength in times of upheaval, you might just find you’ll become a heard voice of much-needed change, which is what the world desperately needs right now.
So, don’t ignore what’s going on around you, but focus more on your inner self and develop resilience using the tips above. You’ll realise that you can overcome anything that life throws at you and perhaps inspire others to roll up their sleeves and do the same.
