Characteristics Of Resilient People - Part One

It is the very nature of life to strive to continue in being.Since this continuance can be secured only by constant renewals,life is a self-renewing process. ~ John Dewey

The ability to bounce back: How quickly we bounce back from crises and tragedy is dependent on how resilient we are. Sometimes, however, our lack of understanding about our life experiences — or habits that don’t serve us — keeps us from adapting when new stresses affect us. As we reflect upon and come to terms with our personal history, and take steps to adjust the undermining attitudes and habits, the greater will be our ability to bounce back quickly.

Adopt a "Where there's a will, there's a way" attitude: Resilient people have a penchant for learning. They have the ability to reflect upon and recognize objectively their strengths and weaknesses. This self-reflection helps them gain insight into their current circumstances, opening them to new ideas and new tactics for dealing with crises.

Resilient people have the ability to look at critical situations in a new way, finding creative approaches towards solving a problem. They recognize that life is a series of good times and not so good times, and that you need the bad to appreciate the good. Hard times build character, creating positive lessons that better equip us to cope in the future.

The ability to hang tough during difficult times: Resilient people are good at managing their emotions. They stay calm under pressure and persevere.

Many of us grew up being told, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Or perhaps you were read the childhood story, The Little Engine That Could ..."I think I can; I think I can." These statements represent some of our earliest lessons of an attitude of resilience.

What resilience-based words of wisdom do you recall? Share your thoughts...

In Part Two of "The Characteristics of Resilient People" I'll detail 4 more common factors.