Resilience

As I sit here without electricity [thanks Irma], I am contemplating today’s topic. I’ve been staring out my windows for a while now, watching the rain beat against the glass making a soft tapping noise.  I watch the trees sway unnaturally and twist against the onslaught of wind and I marvel at nature’s resilience … ah ha! Today’s topic … Resilience!

What exactly is resilience anyway? Well, resilience is the ability to adapt or recover quickly from a difficult or tough situation. We humans are definitely a resilient lot. Yet, it isn’t always easy to “bounce back.” Sometimes, the trauma may be so extreme that an individual needs a little extra help. Maybe counseling, coaching, a good friend, or medical help is required.

Let’s go back to nature and the havoc that is being wrought now by Hurricane Irma [with Jose close on her trail]. Just focusing on nature, you can see trees uprooted or twisted. Streams and rivers swollen with rain, filled with dirt and silt from runoff. Yet in a few days, months, or years, you would see new growth and evidence of nature’s resilience.

Some things you can do if you are finding it difficult can be to seek help. Ask a friend you trust if you can talk. If your workplace offers counseling services, take advantage. It is confidential and in most cases free to you. Seek medical help if you feel nothing else will help you. The key here is to ASK for help. I know that can be the hardest step but ASKING is itself a form of resilience.

If you know someone that is having a hard time, offer to be the friend they can talk to. Keep their conversation with you confidential if they decide to confide in you! If they don’t want to talk, that’s okay … do something nice for them, show them you care and that you will be there for them. When they do … just listen! I find that people often know the answer already but need to discover it on their own. However, be their support while they find out.

IF you find that they need more, gently encourage them to seek help. The exception here is if someone is talking about hurting themselves or committing suicide. In this case, DO NOT leave them. Ask them if they would like for you to accompany them to see a religious leader or medical assistance.  Often this is a cry for help.

Again, I’m brought out of my scribbling [why yes, I’m drafting this the old-fashioned way …] by the cracking noise and thud of a tree as it falls nearby. Thankfully not on or near the house, but my fence will need mending. Ah, great segue …

Just as my fence will need to be repaired, so do we sometimes need mending. I am resilient and so are you … weathering life is easier when we ARE resilient.  After all, where there is a will, there is always a way!