How good would it be if you had the skill to face every challenge that life throws at you with steadiness? By this I mean being able to face your challenges without resorting to the extra glass of wine or bar of chocolate to drown your sorrows or cover up what you’re truly feeling. What would you give to be able to feel the discomfort and instead of going into victim mode, exhibit resilience?
Data from the Resilience Institute www.resiliencei.com shows that women in mostly leadership, professional or management roles score significantly worse than men on individual factors of resilience such as Depression, Self doubt, Confusion, Distress symptoms and Comfort eating.
- How do you maintain a healthy level of stress while being bombarded with constant change at work and the ever-increasing demands at home?
- How do you gain the ability to maintain a healthy level of physical and mental wellness in the face of adversity?
- How do you maintain a stable emotional state and positive mindset to enable you to rationally deal with the challenges you face?
VALUES
Values are critical to helping you deal with the upheavals of life and the unexpected traumas you may face. So be clear on what is important to you and know your priorities. Make sure you also know what you would be willing to sacrifice and what is non-negotiable.
Having a clear understanding of your values is important because values act as a rudder, guiding the ship called YOU in whichever storm you may be navigating. Clarity about your values also makes you a better decision maker.
The following exercise will help you clarify your values, so find a quiet place, arm yourself with something to write on and answer the following questions
- I love…
- I care about…
- What matters most to me is…
- If I could only rescue one thing from a burning house after my family it would be…
- I spend my spare cash on…
- I spend my spare time on…
- My friends say I care most about…
Now examine your responses. What patterns do you see?
List your values and live by them.