The Resilience Mantra
These 6 little words can help make resilience your default response to life’s curveballs. Even if, at first, if you’re not 100% sure you in fact can handle it, using the resilience mantra can help you find the way.
When faced with adversity, change and challenges, (in other words, ‘life’!) the conversation that you have with yourself calibrates how you will approach the situation: either positively or negatively.
From professional relationships and challenges, to personal relationships, to the surprises that life will inevitably throw your way, you can set yourself up for resilience and intentionally shape your response in a positive way. Based on the great work of the late Dr Susan Jeffers, use this resilience mantra: “Whatever happens, I can handle it.”
Change is the new normal.
How many relationships, jobs, industries and companies are changing at the moment? How does it make you feel? Do you spend your time waiting for things to go ‘back to normal’? You’ll be waiting quite some time; because change is the new normal, having the skills and determination to bounce back is important.
The resilience mantra, in practice.
Let’s take the resilience mantra and apply it to some familiar challenges. It can quickly unlock possibility, hope and control in a few common, yet difficult, situations that can sometimes make us feel helpless , hopeless or powerless.
What if my team asks me tough questions? I can handle it. They deserve to have open communication with me.
What if I don’t know the answer to something that people think I should? I can handle it. I’ll find the answer and share it as soon as I can.
What if I have to deliver bad news? I can handle it. I’ll communicate form a place of empathy and respect.
What if I get bad news? I can handle it. I’ll take the time that I need to absorb the news and gather my thoughts and feelings.
What if somebody more junior than me knows more than I do on an important topic? I can handle it. I’ll partner with them and welcome the chance to learn.
What if I’m forced to make a decision i don’t want to make? I can handle it. I’ll weigh up the options and make the best decision I can make with the information I have available.
What if I ask my boss for something that’s important to me, and they turn it down? I can handle it. I’m still in control of my future.
What if somebody gets promoted to a role that I’m equally as qualified for? I can handle it. I’ll congratulate them on their achievement, support them as they take on new challenges and prepare myself for the next time that opportunity comes along.
Remember, you don’t always have to ‘handle it’ all on your own…
Sometimes, handling situations positively means that you reach out for help and support. Let friends, family and colleagues, help you handle things when you need to. It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s an acknowledgment that life is a team sport and success is never realised single-handedly.
“Whatever happens, I can handle it.”
Repeat this resilience mantra and whenever ‘it’ happens, you’ll be able to handle it.
