Dear future hubster,
as we finally, finally bid farewell to a January that was the longest in recent history, it feels as good a time as any to talk about resilience. What it is and what it isn't (note: this might be part of my upcoming TED Talk).
The APA will tell you that resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. Bouncing back, if you like. Note that it says: adapting well. Not easily, or with a smile, not even voluntarily. Maybe crawling back instead of skippy bouncing really.
If you read on, the APA also tells you that being resilient does not mean that a person doesn't experience difficulty or distress. Au contraire, they might be in major pain. Because - newsflash - if one has to be resilient, it's because they're dealing with something unpleasant at best. Realistically probably something difficult, hard, painful.
So if you thought that a resilient person is one who never gets knocked down, one who takes all lemons life throws at them with their tequila ready, one who dances in all proverbial and real storms, think again.
Just because they don't smile through it all, just because they have days when they are not in the mood to pretend everything is rainbows and unicorn poop, it doesn't mean that they are any less resilient. Life can be hard, and anybody who keeps getting back up deserves a medal, a pat on the back, a hug, or simply to be left alone.
Resilience doesn't mean we had it easy. It means we did it anyway, and we are still here.
