Resilience is a positive term that means staying strong and calm in the face of adversity. If we practice resilience in its true form, we are not just tough, we are able to become better and stronger when faced with a crisis. Resilience is a leadership quality that becomes a way of life; it must be developed so we can be prepared when things don’t go according to plan. It is a trait many people strive to have, and for that, Misk provides the Next Gen Outdoor Bootcamp to hone your leadership skills, including teamwork, communication, and resilience.
How do you build resilience?
Building resilience is not an easy task, and it requires a lot of discipline, introspection, and focus. Resilience is a skill that will make you ready to face any challenge in life and to evolve as a person. Given the current circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to think about how we can build our resilience and be ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.
Practice patience and positivity
The first step towards learning how to become resilient is patience and acceptance. This is a tough one but if you work on it, it’s possible and in many ways it's life-changing. You must always try to remain calm and accept the situation at hand, no matter how negative it may be. Try to think of it as a challenge to be conquered. In order to become more resilient, it’s important to always stay positive and have a hopeful attitude in life. You can start by taking a deep breath.
Strong sense of self-belief
Don’t ever underestimate the power of self-belief as it will lead you to succeed in life. Always hold your head up high and trust yourself and the decisions you make. Having the confidence in your own abilities will help you make difficult decisions without hesitation. When a person has high self-esteem, they will be confident in their choices.
Goals in life
We must dream big, set goals, and then take action towards achieving them. If we have short and long-term goals that we are strongly committed to, they will help us remain on track. Referring to our aspirations in a time of crisis can help us refocus and re-align our thoughts in a more logical, organized, and systematic way. This in turn helps us become mentally and emotionally stronger, making us more resilient.
Keep realistic expectations
Setting high standards for ourselves is what we do in order to achieve more, but we must always remember to remain realistic with our expectations and be kind to ourselves. There are many situations in which the problem can be overwhelming and beyond our control. In order to resolve or get past it successfully, you must keep your own limitations in mind and be aware of how much the situation can be controlled. Not all problems can be resolved immediately or effectively, but they can be addressed in a realistic manner. You can also refer to the Global Future Skills Report, Chapter 5: Spectrums of Skill, where the report discusses self-knowledge: the ability to know our own mental, emotional, and physical strengths and weaknesses in order to bring our authentic self into life’s projects.
Good communication skills
Did you know that one of the most important life skills is the ability to communicate effectively? Being a good listener is the first step towards it. Strong communication skills can help when faced with a challenge. It’s imperative to be a clear and consistent communicator. If others are involved and providing their support, the key to ensuring everyone is working together is communication. Keep them in the loop about new updates and always be clear. Also, always remember to show empathy towards others.
Ask for support
There is no shame in asking for help and support from colleagues, friends, or family. On the contrary—asking for help is a sign of strength. It means you can delegate, you understand your limitations and are seeking knowledge to better yourself. It’s best to think about the strengths of the person and ask them for support, even if it’s just advice on a certain matter. A different perspective can sometimes resolve an issue in an easier manner. If you build a strong tribe around you then you will always have support to rely on. This concept is also mentioned in the Global Future Skills Report, where it talks about building your crew as a spectrum of skills that connect people in organizational structures and allow them to create new values, whether financial or social, local or global in terms of building relations.
Learn from mistakes
It’s absolutely okay to make mistakes. In fact they say that some of life’s greatest lessons are gained when we make a mistake and learn from it. Once a mistake has been resolved, we must think about what we can learn from then onward. Learning from a past mistake can help solve it faster and more efficiently in the future.
Be more flexible
Sometimes, being flexible when it comes to quickly adapting to a situation is a must, especially if the situation at hand is time-sensitive. Being rigid or unable to cope with change can be a huge hindrance in life. Those who can adapt easily without fighting it are able to be more resilient. The ability to be adaptive, improvisational, and innovative in situations makes a person more resilient over time. As one lead learner from Jeddah in the Global Future Skills Report said: “The future is like a train. Either you get on, even if you don’t think you are ready, or else you miss the train.” This sentiment shapes attitudes of youth, who are largely optimistic. They believe that they have agency, that they can change the nation, that they can help realize Vision 2030.
The age-old phrase ‘never give up’ is about building resilience. Don’t be afraid and don't give up easily. Being persistent is an important skill to becoming resilient. Don't give up after one attempt. Instead, keep trying until you overcome the obstacle.
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