A series of essays....
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| EVEN IN A LANDSCAPE OF BEDROCK AND ITS VAST CRACKED PAVEMENT OF GLACIAL-ERA LIMESTONE, THERE IS HOPE OF A THRIVING LIFE!!! .....THE BURREN IN COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND |
....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E. Hughes
RESILIENCE...
...is a word that applies to everyone these days, especially when used in a practical sense regarding the act of survival. It is this positive self-concept and application of self-confidence in our own strengths and abilities that can often help to answer the question of “Who Am I?” and lead us down the path of sorting things out and, ultimately, keeping us on the right track towards healing ourselves from the inside out; snapping back into our original shape after being stretched, pulled, bent, or compressed by the weight of adversity and depression. This resiliency is shown by many who have lost a home by wildfire, flooding, or the means to pay the mortgage and, amazingly, weathered the adversity with a buoyancy spawned by self-worth and determination, time and assiduous reserves of confidence only to survive and live another day.
Our challenge today is inside each one of us. Being vulnerable reveals our human nature and demonstrates our susceptibility to being emotionally wounded or hurt. Harmful vulnerability can be challenged by our personal resilience to such harm and the knowledge that our fears are conquerable if we believe them to be. Not surprisingly, this quality of being flexible is not something we are born with. And, this is where our challenge starts as we begin to see positive emotions walking hand-in-hand with resilience. Humor, optimism, and setting forth goals in order to cope with negativity are powers we can learn to utilize in order to control stress and access the power we require to survive. From birth moving forward we clench our teeth when faced with something unpleasant and must learn courage and resolve in order to strengthen our character.
It is difficult to survive without the trust and positive examples placed before us through family and friends. Early relationships that provide care and support help us develop a positive self-image and teach us to manage strong feelings before they get out-of-hand. Ego control and self-esteem help to discourage self inflicted harm (suicide) through the power of knowing how to take care of our mind and body, feeling good about ourselves, exercising body and soul, and paying attention to our own needs and feelings. If we respect the positive influences that surround us and learn to be resilient when it comes to all of the negative influences (mistreated children, loss of employment, and alcohol abuse, for example), we can learn to cope with the disasters and hardships that infiltrate our lives and come naturally to all human beings throughout their lifetime.
When we become aware that by promoting resilience it allows us to recover readily from adversity, illness, depression, and remain flexible each time while enabling us to return to our original form, unharmed and much stronger...we will then become released from a personal bondage that only serves to stifle our comfort and growth. Believing that you can rather than you cannot and encouraging others towards this train of thought boosts morale and organizes a support group capable of strengthening our coping mechanisms.
We must remember that knowledge is power. Our goal should be to become more resilient, promote resiliency, and harness the power of resilience in order to adapt to our ‘roller coaster’ whirlwind ride called life. We must teach a child to be resilient from the beginning of their life, to go with the flow, to interact with their environment, adapt to change, and meet their lifetime goals head on. A world filled with less bullying and more caring would be a kinder, more loving place to live in. To learn to be resilient towards the bullying would help us adapt and survive life's negativity.
Author’s Note: This essay was inspired by an article entitled, Put down the self-help books. Resilience is not a DIY endeavour, written by Michael Ungar, contributed to The Glove and Mail, and published on May 25, 2019.
Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
