Welcome to another Fresh Start Monday, where we change the narrative… Today we will be taking a closer look at resilience.
Resilience addresses our ability to bounce back after difficulties, whether it be loss, disappointment, lack, illness and the list can go on. Bouncing back or getting up after a fall is an important part of our lives.
Change will continue with or without our consent. As John Lennon puts it, ‘life is what happens when we are busy making other plans’. So, when these plans don’t go as planned or when they go completely off course, what do we do? Do we throw in the towel and stop trying? Or do we give it another try?
Let me pause to remind us, that there are some things we must leave behind. Things we have outgrown and those whose season has ended. It may be difficult but we must stay focused on fulfilling our purpose and we simply cannot move forward if we keep looking behind us. With that said, let us now continue looking at resilience.
The nursery rhyme ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ has always been a personal favourite. Itsy Bitsy was aware of his season in life, he knew for sure that getting to the top of the sprout was his goal. Despite the rains washing him down the sprout, he went right back up. The rains represent the challenges we face, it could be family, finances, health and professional to name a few. Identify the challenge for what it is and keep going regardless. It won’t be easy, for like Itsy Bitsy we may be washed right back to our starting point, but it doesn’t mean we should stop. Maybe we got something wrong, maybe we are wearing the wrong gears, consequently we must assess our situation, make necessary adjustments and keep going.
Like itsy bitsy may we be able to discern the season we are in so we are able to identify those things we should walk away from and those which we must stick to! And do just that!
Imagine being in an underground tunnel and the only way to get to the surface is using a rope to climb up and there’s no one there pulling you up. Giving up would be easy, all you have to do is let go of the rope. But sticking to it, is what would require work, especially for those not fit. Though difficult it is still not impossible! The tunnel can represent us as we are, getting to the surface represents getting to the version of ourselves that is required in this season. The rope represents our daily challenges. Would it then make sense to let go of the rope? I think not!
Sometimes the journey from the tunnel to the surface is very long, sometimes it is very overwhelming. May we remember that an elephant is eaten a bite at a time. Therefore, no matter how huge the elephant is once we keep taking a bite sooner than later it will all be eaten. Likewise, once we keep putting one hand in front the other and one foot in front the other, sooner than later we will get to the surface and meet the version of ourselves required for our present season.
Let us press on in resilience and change our narrative…
