Resiliency: What if it's Not About Bouncing Back?

As I look forward to speaking at Day 7’s 2021 Self Care Summit on September 14th on "The Wisdom of Colors," I revisited one of the workshops I offered for them in 2020, "Resilience for Spiritual Caregivers."  

A friend and I were talking about resiliency the other day.  Life has presented some big challenges to us recently and we are weary.  Some days can feel like a slog and other days a fight "to get back to a sense of normal." 

Being resilient feels like extra pressure.  And if we're honest (& if I'm paying attention to my constantly twitching eye!), we don't know how much more we can take before we crack (thank God I have a good therapist and spiritual director!).

So what does it mean to be "resilient"?    
The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology has been doing research on the topic through their Resilient Leaders Project.  Their findings have encouraged people to move away from the idea of resilience as “coping” or “bouncing back.”

Coping strategies or self-comfort behaviors may offer some short-term relief but can impact us in negative ways in the long-run.  Constantly comforting myself on desserts every night or binging on Netflix for hours a day inevitably will hurt my physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being.  They are a temporary solution (and sometimes that's what's needed that moment) that are not a viable long-term one.

"Bouncing back" offers an image of returning to who you once were prior to a crisis or before the challenge occurred.  But can you really return?  Is "getting back to" a redemptive strategy?

What if resiliency is growing and becoming stronger in meaningful ways in response to adversity, much like muscle growth?

What if the crisis or difficulty you are going through right now has the potential to deepen and grow you in remarkable ways, would you be interested?  

Watch the video below to discover more.

And join me for "The Wisdom of Colors" at this year's Summit as we have fun while gaining insight into the messages colors may be bringing us. Why might the color yellow be showing up when you close your eyes to pray or meditate? What might all the green in your recent dreams offer? The wisdom you are seeking may be in the color you chose to wear today!

Tuesday, September 14th, 10:00-11:00am CT  Register here.