"The wind does not break the tree that bends."

Resilience is "the developable capacity to rebound or bounce back from adversity, conflict, and failure or even positive events, progress, and increased responsibility" (Lathan's, 2002a: 702).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1wd-7LTw50

Challenges That I faced in the recent year:

Before the Covid-19 crisis, I had graduated and was on my way to obtaining a job, with plans to move out and begin living more independently. I recall having back-to-back interviews until I was eventually offered a job as a marketing assistant with a respected travel firm. Life, on the other hand, had different ideas for me... The offer I was offered was withdrawn once the pandemic had taken over regular life due to the crisis's economic impact. I was furious and despairing at first because it seemed unfair that I had to work hard to attain what I wanted; I was so close but so far...

As a result, I decided to learn the French language and attend classes at the institute; however, I was forced to participate in classes online due to lockdown. This was beneficial since I was learning a new skill that would assist me in the future, and it gave me a feeling of purpose. Nonetheless, this did not alleviate the pessimism I felt due to not receiving the job I desired. Furthermore, owing to financial constraints, I could no longer afford the lessons and opted to discontinue my studies.

I pushed myself even harder to conquer this obstacle. Additionally, I devised a plan to begin working out every day to increase my physical strength and self-esteem; my enthusiasm for fitness kept me going during this trying period.

What resilience skills did I use?

Having experienced this struggle and regaining control of my life enabled me to go on a new road that I would not have embarked on if the COVID-19 issue had not occurred. At the end of the year, I joined a gym and began weight and strength training.

Most importantly, this provided me with a specific objective, which increased my self-esteem. These are the two abilities I acquired throughout this period. This event also altered my perception of myself since it made me understand how powerful my body is. Lifting weights as a girl was scary, and I was frail when I first started. However, this objective of weight training has enhanced my physical well-being and influenced how I eat, how much sleep I receive, and how much energy I have during the day. Furthermore, I am more confident and in sync with my body.

What Did I enjoy most learning about resilience?

Dr. Louise Lambert, a Canadian Psychologist, was also a guest speaker. She gave some fantastic advice on how to be resilient, and one of the crucial takeaways from her lecture was how she emphasized not comparing yourself to others and learning to recognize that not everything you see on social media is genuine since everyone has their challenges in life.

Resilience is not about overcoming but becoming - Sherri Mandell.

Some other ways I would develop resilience skills for the future:

After conducting further research, I discovered a technique that would benefit me. Every day, I would record my thoughts and write down how I felt anytime I was anxious or overwhelmed. This will assist me in gaining a clear understanding of how I am feeling. This is known as expressive writing, and it allows you to develop a new point of view. Similarly, In 1988 research found that people who engaged in expressive writing were happier and healthier up to 3 months later than those who did not. In addition, I would write down the good outcomes that may result from the unfavorable circumstances that I confront. This, once again, will help me see things in a far more positive way.

Another action I intend to implement into my life is meditation because having excellent mindfulness and awareness will remove tension and worry from within me, making me a calmer person. The body scan meditation technique is a concentrated meditation that helps you relax certain body areas such as the shoulders, chest, and back. According to a study, it is the most efficient approach to deal with unpleasant emotions and help you heal and bounce back faster from challenging situations since it improves your mental control.

How will I apply resilience in my future workplace?

My work path in human resources necessitates a diverse set of abilities. One of them is resilience. I must be resilient in the face of massive disruption to operational environments, the rising importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the changing role of HR, remote work, and digital transformation. This topic was eye-opening, helping me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses. In addition, I was able to pinpoint my locus of control. This knowledge will be helpful to me in Human resources as I will seek to resolve and adapt to challenging circumstances at work.

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REFERENCES:

• Carmody, James & Baer, Ruth. (2008). Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms, and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of behavioral medicine. 31. 23-33. 10.1007/s10865-007-9130-7.

• Halverson, R., 2022. Resilience in 2022 for HR Professionals. [online] https://resources.businesstalentgroup.com/. Available at: <https://resources.businesstalentgroup.com/btg-blog/resilience-in-hr#:~:text=How%20have%20HR%20professionals%20had,work%3B%20and%20the%20digital%20transformation.> [Accessed 24 March 2022].

• Jones, J., 2014. Expressive Writing for Resilience: Writing to Heal. [online] Bassconnections.duke.edu. Available at: <https://bassconnections.duke.edu/sites/bassconnections.duke.edu/files/site-images/expressive-writing-resilience-2019.pdf> [Accessed 24 March 2022].

• Moore, C., 2022. Resilience Theory: What Research Articles in Psychology Teach Us (+PDF). [online] PositivePsychology.com. Available at: <https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-theory> [Accessed 24 March 2022].

• Newman, K., 2016. Five Science-Backed Strategies to Build Resilience. [online] Greater Good. Available at:<https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_science_backed_strategies_to_build_resilience> [Accessed 24 March 2022].

• Winston, D., 2022. Body Scan Meditation (Greater Good in Action). [online] Ggia.berkeley.edu. Available at: <https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation> [Accessed 24 March 2022].