Calming
Yourself
Choosing
Strategies
Solving
Problems
Managing
Energy
Solving Problems
The third building block of Prosilience is applying a set of resilience muscles to help us use our energy most effectively in addressing challenges. Each of these muscles represents a set of perspectives and skills we each already possess, but can systematically strengthen through practice and experience.
We use positivity to help us see hope and possibility in the midst of turbulence.
We use confidence to help us recognize the capabilities we can bring to the challenges we face.
We use priorities to make decisions about what’s most important and how to apply our energy to the right things.
We use creativity to work through unfamiliar situations, think of creative options, and open up possibilities.
We use connection to create and draw on communities and relationships for various kinds of support and assistance.
We use structure to create plans, systems, and approaches that help us use our energy efficiently and coordinate with others.
We use experimenting to initiate action, take some risks, and get out of our comfort zone to try new things.
Resilience Lessons on the Chesapeake
Summer is a great time for getting outside and having adventures. And adventures are a great way to build your resilience. When you try something new, you typically encounter things you've never done before. Sometimes these things are exciting, but sometimes they are...
Looking for Adversity
Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid discomfort and adversity. We like the world to be at least somewhat predictable and comfortable. I’d like to suggest that all of us should be spending more of our time seeking adversity. Here’s why: Just as physical muscles...
Prosilience All Around Us
I recently read a news story about the captain of a schooner sailing from Nova Scotia to Bermuda who found that his ship was sinking. The focus of the story was how he remained calm throughout the process and the rescue of him and his three crew. The other day, my mom...
Change Your Life by Changing Your Habits
Did you know that about 40 percent of the actions you take each day are habits? Habits are behavioral patterns stored in your brain that you perform without thinking about them. They help you conserve your mental energy for things that you need to pay more attention...
52 Steps to Building Your Resilience
Early in 2016, I joined a group called 52Frames. It's an international group of photography enthusiasts who sign up to participate in a weekly challenge. I'm an amateur photographer, but I am a much better photographer now than I was when I joined the group. I'm also...
Embracing Different Lifestyles: Another View on Resilience
A friend and I were in a car the other day; my friend was driving. Another car suddenly tried to cut us off, honked at us, and raced ahead of us. The whole process took no longer than 10 seconds, but my friend spent the next half hour venting anger. The driver was...
Basic Experimenting Exercises
Your experimenting muscle is strong when you can courageously try new things when facing adversity. This muscle is useful because it helps you take actions that might feel scary but will help you achieve better outcomes. Some simple daily exercises you can use to...
Basic Structure Exercises
Your structure muscle is strong when you can stick to an approach or plan when facing adversity. This muscle is useful because it helps you plan and get things done, even when it's tough to do so. Some simple daily exercises you can use to strengthen this muscle...
Basic Connection Exercises
Your connection muscle is strong when you find it easy to reach out to others for help when facing adversity. This muscle is useful because others can provide many different kinds of assistance including practical support, emotional support, knowledge, and skills....
Basic Creativity Exercises
Your creativity muscle is strong when you can come up with a lot of new ideas about how to address challenges. This muscle is useful because it helps you find effective solutions to problems, break out of old patterns of thinking, and keep an open mind. Some simple...