[Image by Gerd Altmann of Pixabay]
Merriam Webster defines resilience as: an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. Most of us have been there and know firsthand the importance of developing resilience, particularly if we speak in public. The question is do you have resilience and if not, how do you plan to build it?
Resilience is a big part of our mental health. Too often, individuals don’t know how to focus on their mental health when I believe it’s truly a necessity. According to Kendra Cherry of (Verywell Mind) there are steps we can each take when trying to increase our ability to be resilient. These steps include:
1. Reframe negative thoughts. Look at problems with a more realistic attitude. By so doing, you look at what can be changed, hence the term reframe.
2. Seek support, as needed. No, this doesn’t make the negative disappear however when you share it with someone you value and trust, you may gain new insights that you hadn’t considered.
3. Focus on what you can control. When we do this, we gain a new perspective and the problem may seem more surmountable and therefore less threatening.
4. Manage feelings of stress. While there are various ways of accomplishing this, you may wish to consider biofeedback, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and the use of more effective communication patterns.
By building your resilience, you don’t eliminate adverse conditions. However, when you follow steps like these, you’re developing your ability to cope and deal with setbacks. Your recovery is generally faster and you’re more readily prepared to deal with unexpected hardships that you may encounter. You could say that when one chooses to build resilience, it’s a form of mental health.
That applies to each and every one of us, especially public speakers. Public speakers deal with fear, judgment, feedback, and rejection all the time. Therefore, the more resilience they build, the better they will feel over time because they are addressing what really matters.