Building Resiliency Through the Pandemic As “stay at home” orders extend across the country, and we begin to be more personally impacted by COVID-19, our ability to remain optimistic and hopeful becomes increasingly challenged. We continue to experience expectations of productivity and effectiveness in “work from home” environments, managing virtual teams and meeting deliverables. One of humanity’s most powerful survival skills is our ability to build resilience. Resilience means adapting well in the face of adversity and is associated with a mindset that recognizes our capacity to grow through life-altering and stressful events. According to Dr. Arielle Schwartz, “Resilience is not a trait that you either have or do not have; it is a set of strategies that can be learned and practiced by anyone.” Dr. Schwartz offers her framework of six pillars of resilience: Growth mindset: Cultivating an understanding that life experiences, whether positive or negative, provide ongoing opportunities for learning and development. Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing that you will experience feelings of fear, exhaustion, anger, sadness and a host of other emotions as a part of this global trauma we are living through. This is normal and part of your innate resilience. Gaining tools to navigate through this process allows you to reclaim your balance. Community Connections: This pillar has been the most dramatically altered during the pandemic as we have previously associated “connection” with in-person interaction. We now must be intentional at creating virtual connections. We may be physically distancing but social solidarity is essential. Self-expression: Activating the creative part of your brain, the prefrontal cortex through writing, art, dance, music increases access to the hormone oxytocin which helps you feel more social connection and relational resonance. Embodiment: Our bodies need to process stressful events through breath and movement. When these natural impulses are ignored the biological effects of stress persist. Activities such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness breathing build resilience. Choice and Control: The belief and acceptance that there are events in our life that are completely outside our control. Resilience comes with knowing that there are still things in your life that you do have control over. Building resilience is a daily practice of small behaviors that support your physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health. In taking microsteps every day, you will start to feel stronger, optimistic, capable and connected to others.
