Looking back over my career, it is clear that the attitudes and beliefs that I brought to my situation impacted my resilience at work. Becoming more conscious of personal approaches to challenging situations expands our ability to be resilient.
In my twenties, as a young manager I often felt overwhelmed by my workload. Unfortunately, I brought that view with me each day. Frequently, I barely struggled through one set of problems only to find another set of problems waiting for me. This pattern led to the creation of a negative attitude about what each day would bring. I awoke each morning feeling a sense of doom about the day, which led to a perception that the day would not go well. And, of course starting with that negative outlook, most often the day did not go well.
By the time I hit my thirties, I began to see the light. A wise and gentle colleague asked one day if I had ever thought to consider situations in terms of Solutions rather than Problems. It took only a moment for her to ask the question, and only a moment for me to realize the full significance of what she was asking. I was clearly looking at much of my life in a problem-oriented manner. It was as if I was attracting problems just by anticipating them. I started that day to shift my thinking from problems to solutions, from a “too hard!” perspective to a “too easy!” point of view.
Today in my 40’s, I see the benefit of starting each day with a positive sense of expectancy. A sense that there will be many opportunities unfolding each day; a sense that there is no problem so big that does not have a bigger solution. And wonderfully, this positive sense of expectancy works! Most days are now filled with good experiences, good outcomes, and perhaps most importantly, good feelings about life.
Nurturing a positive sense of expectancy is one of the many tools you can use to enhance your resiliency at home and in the workplace. There are many other tools that will help you thrive! Take a look at www.boldnewdirections.com to learn about programs to improve Workplace Resilience.
Bold New Directions is a transformational learning organization based in Massachusetts, USA. Co-founded by Jim Hornickel and Suzanne Guthrie, both experienced trainers and coaches, Bold New Directions offers transformational learning via Leadership Training, Communications Training, and Resiliency Programs. Fortune 500 companies are amongst our many clients who have loved our landmark programs including Think On Your Feet®, Transformational Leadership™, Situational Frontline Leadership and Resilience At Work™.