Resilience Part 2 - A Collective Experience
Last month, we talked about resilience: the ability to adjust/adapt in the face of adversity or significant stress, “bouncing back” from challenges faced, and growing as a person. When we think of resilience, we often think of courage, strength, and perseverance— success against the odds. However, this month we will focus on the many layers of resilience that traditional portrayals miss. The definition of resilience can and should vary for different people based on their personal strengths as well as the support systems they have in place. It is important to resist the inclination to see resilience only at the surface level— to consider not only external markers of success but also the internal wellbeing of the resilient individual. On a community level, in order to foster the growth of holistic resilience, we need to cultivate environments that emphasize positive relationships and establish psychological safety, reducing the accumulation of internal stress at the expense of external success.
“Where is resilience generated? A nurse, whom I met at a dinner recently, shared that patients have twice threatened her life; once, when a family member could not hold a dying loved one, and the second time, by a Covid-stricken conspiracy theorist. Both instances occurred during the pandemic. While many found some comfort in working remotely or having more time to spend with family, countless nurses risked their personal health and sometimes bodily safety, with little opportunity for self-care. Through this time, nurses worked to have each other's backs, cultivating team resilience. This nurse shared a story with which I was familiar; both she and my aunt, a hospital leader, looked out their hospital windows in a difficult time, one in Alaska and one in Connecticut, to see signs posted outside calling them heroes. The communities’ signs of appreciation helped nurses view the larger scope of their impact, and the power of those open declarations of belief in their work continues, four years later, to breathe energy into one nurse’s own strength and resilience through very difficult times. Perhaps, in their own light, those signs and the teamwork of hospital staff, from custodial to administrative, are emblematic of the giving power of mutual resilience—hospital workers supported the community which, in turn, supported them.”
- Audrey Riddle, Connection Labs Summer 2024 Intern
Did you know?
Resilience encompasses a variety of factors – such as hope, determination and proactivity – that protect individuals and promote thriving in the face of adversity. Manifestations of resilience are shaped by the strengths we leverage to overcome challenges we are faced with, from practicing self-care to embracing emotional change. Yet resilience does not only occur on the individual level; families, teams, and communities are able to collectively demonstrate resilience as well. In collectivist cultures, the definition of resilience includes the ability to support one’s household and contribute to the community. Workplace teams can be resilient too— “resilient teams are highly effective under pressure and are less likely to be derailed by setbacks or failures,” according to Forbes.
It is no coincidence that the resilient individual helps the people around them— relationships with others are crucial in promoting resilience. When we have people on whom we can lean, we are strengthened with the knowledge that we are not alone, and in turn feel motivated to extend our support to others. Strong interpersonal relationships of all kinds help carry us through difficult times.
There are many common misconceptions about resilience. One example is placing focus on external measures, such as academic achievements and professional advancements, rather than looking at the whole person. Internal resilience, including factors such as mental health and spirituality, is very important for fostering well being and can often be sacrificed at the expense of external resilience. The appearance of high competence, for instance, can be coupled with high levels of internal stress. In promoting internal resilience, it is important to encourage healthy expression of emotion and avoid placing an onus on those who are experiencing adversity to mask what they are rightfully feeling. This means creating a culture of psychological safety, where people are comfortable bringing their full selves into a space and feel safe asking for help when they need it.
Awareness, Context, Intention
Building Awareness: Where is there overlap in the fostering of psychological safety and the fostering of collective resilience in your life?
Considering Context: Does your perception of resilience vary based on different situations? Are there situations in which you may show external resilience while internal stress accumulates for you?
In what spaces do you feel collective resilience is easiest to foster? What gets in the way in other contexts?
Setting Intention: Identify one person who could use your support this week and reach out to check in on them or offer a kind word of encouragement. You are building collective resilience!
Tap into your strengths
Use kindness to extend support to others, and also be kind to yourself
Use social intelligence to curate environments of psychological safety where people feel comfortable asking for help
Use honesty to check in with yourself and evaluate whether your external achievements are taking an unseen toll on your well-being
Use perspective to consider how resilience might mean different things for different people
