How to build resilience, deal with challenges and manage emotional capacity
I’ve had a number of challenges over the last few days that have left my emotional capacity in pieces. It’s not necessary to name them - some personal, some technical, some emotional.
What’s interesting to observe is that a) our capacity will be challenged - how do we build resilience, deal with and prepare for this? and b) who am I when I am not showing up as my brilliant self and how can I get back there swiftly?
I’m reflecting on how the challenges have affected me:
My concentration and focus are appalling - my pre frontal cortex is impacted as the energies go elsewhere in my brain to deal with the fight or flight response.
My mental outlook is not functioning very well in terms of optimism and forward facing thinking - it’s quite frankly been all over the place with old narratives raising their ugly heads and a pessimism wanting to creep in
My motivation is way down on the scale
I am shattered physically from the mental load
I have a headache
I want to self sooth with chocolate (would have been alcohol previously)
However, I have to acknowledge that I’ve dealt with the challenges well, and that a few years back I might not have had the tools or mindset to do so, I have:
Identified, acknowledged and let go what I can’t control (it wasn’t easy)
Stepped back and taken a wider perspective on each situation to see how I can respond in the best way
Kept a keen eye on my mindset, which has been interesting!
Had close dialogue with a few of trusted friends (thank you) to share and get support (I’d have stewed over this challenges previously)
What am I doing to get back on track, to get back to my ‘zone of brilliance’?
Recognising all the things going on
Giving my ‘self’ some deep deep compassion (something I would not have considered a few years ago) - which showed up as a hot bath, yoga, ‘quite space’ / meditation and mental comfort that perhaps a parent part might offer (awesome coaching tools embedded there!)
Allowing for somatic release of tension and stress so that it doesn’t show up in my body and reemerge as disease
Checking in and observe that inner chatter - the monkey mind - make friends with it, laugh with it and reassure it
Keep an eye on the bigger picture
Looking forward to the future and intentionally refocussing there
Being massively grateful for the people in my life and really increasing the gratitude practice
Putting on that uplifting play list and dancing (I don’t feel like it today but I will)
Getting back into those habits that I know bring my back to my sense of self and my ‘zone of brilliance’ - who I show up as in my best self - and look back at my ‘circle of sanity’ tool to help remember what those things are
To say I’ve done a lot of work on getting back on track is an understatement - it’s my field of enquiry and channel of curiosity. I know my clients are grateful for the blend of personal and professional growth when it comes to coaching because in my mind you can’t have the professional without this personal roadmap - and I really enjoy the part of creating this roadmap with my clients.
So - this has been a useful reflection and I hope a useful read too, what will you be doing to get back on track, and what habits will you reinstate?
#personalgrowth
#personalleadership
#professionaldevelopment
#resilience
PS
My ‘zone of (personal and professional) brilliance’ is a concept I created a while ago that explores and creates intentional action to showing up in life as your best self.
The ‘Circle of sanity / stability’ is a tool I created to support clients to visually move forward in creating a better lifestyle to work toward their ‘zone of brilliance’.
In May I am launching a new group programme called RESET, which supports clients to do just that - RESET their personal and professional systems to step into their brilliance. More details here.
Get in touch if you’d like a little support with your resilience tactics and emotional capacity.
