“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
– Charles Darwin
Resiliency—the ability to bounce back from defeat quickly—enriches our lives. Its flip side is helplessness, a feeling that can arise when things don’t go the way we want them to. According to Positive Psychology researcher Dr. Martin Seligman, “People who believe that the cause of setbacks is temporary, changeable and local do not become helpless.”
When we recognize the counterproductive thoughts (“This undermines everything” or “It’s going to last forever”) that can lead to helplessness, we can work to shift our perspective (“I can do something about it” or “It’s just this one situation”).
Journal writing helps me bounce back quicker from setbacks. When I think about a disappointment, I often get caught in an unproductive loop. However, writing about a situation allows me to gain new insight and sketch out a plan, allowing me to move past the setback and regain a healthy perspective.
What change or setback have you recently experienced? How can you practice resiliency?
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