| Have you ever noticed how some people (maybe even you) bounce back (seemingly) easily, while others simply don’t? Some dig in and pursue their dreams even harder. Some give them up. Even when they’ve both faced the same or similar adversity. What’s the difference? RESILIENCE. The dictionary defines resilience as the ability or capacity to withstand or recover from difficult conditions. It’s toughness. It’s also the ability of a substance to spring back into shape – its elasticity. So we can easily make a case for Pig 3’s amazing resilience – he had it heart, mind, body, and soul! He thought about what he needed to do, stayed at it (even though, as you can guess, he was sorely tempted to play, dance, and sing with Pigs 1 and 2), he put his all into his house, and when it came down to it, he protected his brothers. Every experience we have can provide a valuable lesson if we choose to see it that way. Using the Experience File Method, we get to choose our path: Should I keep going, and show Grit, not Quit? Or … Give up on my dreams? Here’s what I bet Pig 3 would offer as advice to those who are thinking of giving up: 1. You have the strength to pick yourself back up. Remember the Experience File so you can create a better plan and develop new skills, so your outcome will be different. 2. Blessed are the flexible! Remember, we need a Plan A, B, and sometimes C! Stuff happens, and flexibility aids in the shift! 3. Curious much? You bet Resilience asks the question, “What if,” and helps to get solutions to the wolves in their lives. Who knows – we may even end up eating one! 4. It takes a loving village – we need each other. Yes, it’s even in our ever-lovin’ DNA! Ask for help, encourage someone else, and watch your resilience GROW! 5. High-five yourself – you know – dopamine! Get your kicks from doing things anyway – it’s so fun and such a great way to live! 6. Resilient people LAUGH! At themselves and their oopsies. They take themselves a little less seriously – you know why? It defuses the situation and helps you shift and focus on what needs fixing instead of being overly emotive about past mistakes. A Wise Woman builds her house with bricks of resilience, grit, stamina, persistence, and consistency. Don’t you think it’s time to start building?  |
