A Time for Resilience is NOW
Emotional Exhaustion- Post Pandemic
It’s been three years since the pandemic of 2020. These past few years have shown us that we exist in unpredictable times. The virus has changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined — from how we work and relearn to socialize and travel. It is a moment that has called us to adapt collectively.
The high stress we experience daily has shifted our path. Many are experiencing overwhelming emotional exhaustion due to an unpredictable future, including job security, childcare challenges, financial burdens, and physical and mental health concerns.
In today’s stressful world, emotional exhaustion can become a daunting challenge — it takes away one’s power and control to make life-enhancing decisions. These physical stresses can manifest from low-level agitation to full-blown social and emotional crises. Commonly experienced feelings such as worry, anger, and self-doubt build up over time and steal away the joy we should be experiencing. Understanding how to manage these emotions is vital to living more at ease during challenging times.
When internal energy reserves are depleted, the normal capacity to maintain self-control is weakened, leading to increased stress, inappropriate behaviors response, compromised immune system, and cognitive haze. These symptoms can compound the stress we experience due to lost opportunities, poor interpersonal communication, and damaged relationships. It drains the energy needed for everyday tasks; long-term stress can permanently impact our physical health and well-being if ignored.
The Power of our Emotions
Emotions can have a powerful physiological impact, more so than simply thinking about them. According to research by the Institute of HeartMath, invoking an emotion associated with a memory produces far greater stress responses than merely recalling it cognitively. In essence — feeling anger is much stronger than just thinking about it.
Emotions are the defining force of our lives, bringing meaning to every aspect and moment. They drive us to seek meaningful connections with those around us, empower us by giving us strength in moments of adversity, courage for difficult decisions, appreciation for successes, enveloping love that protects and supports loved ones — plus empathy towards those needing help by understanding our own vulnerability.
When we take the time to be aware and curious like a child about our emotions, even when they are unpleasant, it can lead us toward a better version of ourselves. Instead of looking for distractions from vulnerability or trying to mask these feelings with addictions, aggression, or violence against others, leaning into the curiosity of the discomfort leads us down a path where courage and kindness become evident. Our best qualities emerge from knowing how to address this rawness within all its intensity.
Above all else, however, it’s emotions that impart a unique richness into life and allow pain at times of loss — without such complex feelings, would we truly exist?
Therefore, the essential skill most people need to learn is increasing their capacity to self-regulate emotions, attitudes, and behaviors. Self-regulation enables people to meet the challenges and stresses of everyday life with resilience, so they can make more intelligent decisions by aligning with their innate higher-order wisdom, expression of care, and compassion. Elements we often associate with living a more conscientious life.
Adaption is an invitation to learn new skills and develop resilience in changing circumstances.
Adaptability is fundamental to resilience, wellness, and sound judgment. With adaptive behavior and the ability to self-regulate our emotions, we can approach life’s challenges equipped for success. People who can effectively self-regulate will often make thoughtful decisions, treat others with kindness, and act in a way that best serves them, no matter their predispositions or experiences.
Resilience and Self-Regulation- Being Pono
Resilience, self-regulation, and being Pono go hand in hand. The Institute of HeartMath defines resilience as having the capacity to prepare for, recover from and adapt in the face of stress, adversity, trauma, or challenge. In the Hawaiian language, being Pono means being in perfect alignment and balance with all things in life. The more successfully you can manage your emotions, the easier it will be for you to stay healthy, perform optimally and be in harmony with everything around you.
By embracing resilience and emotional control, we strive to create a state of Pono (balance) within ourselves that allows us to connect with our breath (hā), the ‘aina (our environment), and our ancestors (kupuna). This journey begins when we commit to cultivating long-term well-being despite difficulties.
Resilience is an essential skill we can all develop over time, regardless of our current circumstances. To make the most progress in this area, it’s crucial to practice self-management and tap into the energy (mana) resources within the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms.
These domains of resilience are the cornerstones of a solid foundation. Each type provides unique benefits; physical flexibility refers to one’s ability to be agile in the body, while endurance and strength indicate an individual’s capacity for long-term task completion.
Emotional resilience is manifested through self-regulation skills and fostering an outlook of gratitude. Mental resiliency can lead to longer attention spans and a more remarkable synthesis of multiple perspectives and ideas during problem-solving sessions. This leads us right down the path toward spiritual fortitude built on solid values backed by intuition and understanding that fosters acceptance between diverse peoples’ beliefs and ideals.
Power of Intuition- A Gift from the Ancestors
Our ancestors understood the power of intuition — a way to gain knowledge beyond conscious thought. They knew that intuition is an irreplaceable tool in making decisions for personal and collective well-being. They recognized the importance of listening to our intuition before making a choice, as it often knows us better than we know ourselves.
Many cultures include intuition in their childhood education, healthcare, social interactions, ideas about death and the afterlife, and spiritual or spiritual traditions.
For example, if you have an indigenous ancestor, you may have heard stories about how their elders would use intuition to choose a path for the tribe during difficult times. By listening closely to the subtle messages of nature, they could make decisions beneficial for everyone in the group.
Intuition is also based on a wealth of experiences, feelings, and observations stored in our subconscious, which can help us make decisions quickly without exhausting cognitive resources. Scientists are now exploring its potential for problem-solving, recognizing it as one of humanity’s most important tools — akin to having an extra ‘sixth sense.’ Studies have shown that people who rely more heavily on intuition make better decisions than those who rely solely on logic and analysis.
Our collective responsibility calls us to pass on this knowledge of intuition and its importance for decision-making to upcoming generations. We must continue to practice and strengthen our intuition to make decisions that align with our individual needs and the collective well-being of everyone. With a solid connection to intuition, we can continue to live in harmony with each other and all living things on this earth.
Intuition vs. Instinct
The concepts of intuition and instinct are closely linked — instinct is a crucial component of intuition. Instincts can be defined as hard-wired behaviors developed in response to environmental stresses and dangers. These behaviors are usually involuntary and take great work to overcome. Listening to your instincts is a part of listening to your intuition.
Instinct plays an important role in trusting and listening to your intuition — it can be the key difference between making or breaking decisions that could shape entire lifetimes. Our species has harnessed a range of powerful instincts to help us survive in challenging conditions. These often subconscious behaviors are rooted deeply in our evolutionary history and have become hard-wired over time to protect us from environmental dangers.
Benefits of Resilience Training
When individuals are resilient, they can navigate challenges with greater ease and effectiveness. This leads to many benefits, including:
- Increased productivity
- Improved decision making
- Greater adaptability
- Enhanced intuition and creativity
Improved mental and physical health is another benefit of resilience training. When people have the skills to manage stress, they are less likely to experience adverse health effects, such as:
- Headaches
- Stomach problems
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety
- Depression
Resilience and the Workplace
For many professionals, the workday is no longer confined to nine-to-five hours. Instead, it has become increasingly common for people to spend more time at their job than with family and friends. This trend can significantly impact one’s mental health and well-being, as spending too much time away from home can lead to burnout and stress.
Those who are working long hours must take the time to set boundaries between their work life and personal life to avoid feeling overwhelmed or exhausted by their job. Setting aside specific times of the day for relaxation or leisure activities will help maintain a healthy balance between professional obligations and personal commitments.
What are some resilience-building strategies for the workplace?
There are many things that individuals and organizations can do to build resilience in the workplace. Some key strategies include:
- Creating a culture of support: A culture of support includes organizational policies and practices that promote employee well-being and encourage employees to seek help when needed. It also has flexible work arrangements and access to mental health resources.
- Providing training and education: Training and education can help employees learn about the importance of resilience, emotional awareness, managing stress, and what resources are available to them.
- Promoting healthy lifestyle choices: Healthy lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep, can help employees reduce stress and build resilience.
- Encouraging social support: Social support from family, friends, and co-workers can be a crucial source of strength during stress.
Employers can create a more supportive culture by investing in employee resilience training, providing employees with the skills to thrive, and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. These strategies will improve employee well-being and contribute to the organization’s bottom line. Remember, no one can give more than what they’ve got!!
Resilience and Self-Regulation Skills- ONLINE COURSE
Join us at the registration link below to participate in our February 2023 Resilience Advantage class. Times listed are PST.
Expand your resilience and unlock powerful techniques for navigating life’s challenges with HeartMath’s Resilience Advantage workshop.
Learn scientifically-backed strategies to stay calm and composed and find equilibrium even in challenging times.
Medical Disclaimer:
“HeartMath has developed highly successful programs for self‐improvement in mental, emotional, and physical balance. HeartMath Technology and materials are not intended to replace treatments for medical or psychological conditions by licensed physicians, psychologists, or other health care professionals.”
About the Author
Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell is the Principal Consultant and CEO of Co3 Consulting: Co-Creating Cohesive Communities. The work of Co3 Consulting is based on the foundation of ALOHA and utilizes a unique blend of Indigenous philosophies and Western methods to work through decolonial healing processes.
Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell (she/her/wahine) identifies as an Indigenous scholar born and raised on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii, and has over 20 years of experience working in public, private, and non-profit sectors with a focus on social justice, community organizing, and leadership development. Dr. G earned her doctorate in Transformative Studies and Consciousness from the California Institute of Integral Studies and her master’s in Whole Systems Design from Antioch University, Seattle. She has been a HeartMath Certified Trainer since 2014. You can learn more about her work at www.Co3Consulting.net and www.EvolutionOfAloha.com
If interested in bringing the Resilience Advantage Program to your organization, schedule a call with Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell HERE.
