Feeling a bit squished into this new life? We are in very uncertain times and our lives have been upturned. Humans typically don’t like the unknown and often fear it. Change can be very unsettling and we’ve never in our lifetime seen the entire world reeling from so much change that this pandemic is causing. A couple of weeks ago, I shared resources and 15 Tips for Coping with Stress When the World’s Out of Control.
The way we cope with stress and navigate change determines how or if you’re able to survive, bounce back and hopefully thrive is resiliency.
Change and uncertainty can breed fear and distrust. Think about the stockpiling and hoarding. It is one reaction to change and stress. Massive change is hard and can be very scary. As a change, resiliency and loss coach, my clients are often stuck in change, fearing change, angry about a change, refusing to face the change, or looking for a way out of a necessary change. Change can bring you to a dark place. I’ve been there too and understand.
When we’re paralyzed by uncertainty and change we often numb out in the fear and feed on social media, news/fake news, food, video games, movies or whatever your numbing action may be. I too have turned to numbing out as a normal coping mechanism. Coping isn’t the same as being resiliency, it can be a first step in dealing with a change until our brains and bodies can deal with more.
It takes real work and often courage to embrace a difficult change. Who wants to embrace this new reality of physical distancing and staying at home? How can we embrace change that we don’t like, didn’t ask for, or want?
Resiliency
Resiliency is defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change” or the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resilience
My favorite image of resiliency is a spring. Hence the image above is how we're feeling now - compressed under stress. I love when my clients bounce back after a set-back.
I’ve written before about Resiliency in Action. Resiliency in action is something or someone you can see or relate to a being resilient. A spring is resiliency in action for example. I pray the human race can demonstrate resiliency in action after this pandemic.
How resilient are you? I used to think that I wasn’t resilient until ended up knocked down and in a dark place. It’s taken years of study and work to get to the point I’ll admit that yes. I am resilient. I want you to be resilient during these times. We can do this and yes, you can build resiliency skills.
10 Tips for Resiliency Amid Massive Change
1. Acknowledge the Change vs. fight or ignore it
2. Acknowledge your emotions around the change.
3. What are the facts about this change relevant to you and your situation?
4. What have you lost from this change?
5. Mourn those losses.
6. What change have you survived and overcome before?
7. What resources can you tap into?
8. How do you want to respond to this change?
9. Accepting the reality of this change
10. What do you want your future to be?
I hope my tips are useful and helpful. May you build your resiliency and lean into this change as a time of potential new growth.
My intent is that as we move in to this new normal of change and loss in the world that we can bounce back and thrive again. If you’d like to learn more about love and change, check out Tumultuous Times – 5 Tips for Love and Change.
I’ve noted resiliencies and change resources below, please see my resources page for more.
I help people overwhelmed by change who want to bounce back and find a future. Click here to learn how I help and support others.
Please share this with anyone who may benefit.
Peace and blessings,
Teresa – Leaning into my resiliency training and growth opportunities.
Teresa Q. Bitner, M.Ed., PMP, ACC - Resiliency, Change and Loss Coach
Partnering with those who have been knocked down and want to build resiliency and move forward to live a bold life.
The way we cope with stress and navigate change determines how or if you’re able to survive, bounce back and hopefully thrive is resiliency.
Change and uncertainty can breed fear and distrust. Think about the stockpiling and hoarding. It is one reaction to change and stress. Massive change is hard and can be very scary. As a change, resiliency and loss coach, my clients are often stuck in change, fearing change, angry about a change, refusing to face the change, or looking for a way out of a necessary change. Change can bring you to a dark place. I’ve been there too and understand.
When we’re paralyzed by uncertainty and change we often numb out in the fear and feed on social media, news/fake news, food, video games, movies or whatever your numbing action may be. I too have turned to numbing out as a normal coping mechanism. Coping isn’t the same as being resiliency, it can be a first step in dealing with a change until our brains and bodies can deal with more.
It takes real work and often courage to embrace a difficult change. Who wants to embrace this new reality of physical distancing and staying at home? How can we embrace change that we don’t like, didn’t ask for, or want?
Resiliency
Resiliency is defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change” or the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resilience
My favorite image of resiliency is a spring. Hence the image above is how we're feeling now - compressed under stress. I love when my clients bounce back after a set-back.
I’ve written before about Resiliency in Action. Resiliency in action is something or someone you can see or relate to a being resilient. A spring is resiliency in action for example. I pray the human race can demonstrate resiliency in action after this pandemic.
How resilient are you? I used to think that I wasn’t resilient until ended up knocked down and in a dark place. It’s taken years of study and work to get to the point I’ll admit that yes. I am resilient. I want you to be resilient during these times. We can do this and yes, you can build resiliency skills.
10 Tips for Resiliency Amid Massive Change
1. Acknowledge the Change vs. fight or ignore it
- What is the change(s) you're experiencing?
2. Acknowledge your emotions around the change.
- Find safe quiet place to really just allow those feelings to come.
- How do you really feel? Let all of your feelings to flow.
- No judgment – just notice and allow.
- NO stuffing feelings
3. What are the facts about this change relevant to you and your situation?
- What have you lost from this change?
- Change = Loss (see my Blog for what I mean by this)
- Take a moment to write down all of your losses.
- Freedom to purchase what we want and go where we want.
4. What have you lost from this change?
- Change = Loss (see my Blog for what I mean by this)
- Take a moment to write down all of your losses.
- Freedom to purchase what we want and go where we want for example.
5. Mourn those losses.
- Take time to mourn them. (See my Blog on mourning losses for details)
- Have a good pity party, rant, rave, cry – in a healthy safe manner
- Take the time needed.
6. What change have you survived and overcome before?
- Graduation, marriage, birth, deaths, job/career change, moves, what else?
- Be descriptive as you can
7. What resources can you tap into?
- What resources did you have before when you overcame change?
- What new resources do you have?
- Think physical, spiritual, emotional, people, finances, etc.
8. How do you want to respond to this change?
- In what way?
9. Accepting the reality of this change
- What choices do you have?
- Where is the opportunity or growth in this change?
- What does acceptance look like for you?
10. What do you want your future to be?
- Be descriptive as you can
- This is building in hope and resiliency
I hope my tips are useful and helpful. May you build your resiliency and lean into this change as a time of potential new growth.
My intent is that as we move in to this new normal of change and loss in the world that we can bounce back and thrive again. If you’d like to learn more about love and change, check out Tumultuous Times – 5 Tips for Love and Change.
I’ve noted resiliencies and change resources below, please see my resources page for more.
I help people overwhelmed by change who want to bounce back and find a future. Click here to learn how I help and support others.
Please share this with anyone who may benefit.
Peace and blessings,
Teresa – Leaning into my resiliency training and growth opportunities.
Teresa Q. Bitner, M.Ed., PMP, ACC - Resiliency, Change and Loss Coach
Partnering with those who have been knocked down and want to build resiliency and move forward to live a bold life.
Resources on Resiliency & Change
[Video] 5 Tips for Surviving Change and Building Resiliency
Resiliency is a Trait you can Develop
Creating Resilient Leaders That Thrive During COVID-19
Resilience.org
The New Normal
Top 10 Reasons We Resist Change- HBR
Teresa’s Free Resources
[Video] 5 Tips for Surviving Change and Building Resiliency
Resiliency is a Trait you can Develop
Creating Resilient Leaders That Thrive During COVID-19
Resilience.org
The New Normal
Top 10 Reasons We Resist Change- HBR
Teresa’s Free Resources
Basic Business Emergency & Resiliency Planning Free Webinar
April 9 2020 @ 12 Noon EST / 11am CST / 9am PST
Location: Virtual via Zoom - phone, mobile device or computer access
In this time of uncertainty and change, planning for what if is now more urgent. Working from home and self-isolation is a great time to work on your business and put in place an emergency plan and build in resiliency.
Save your seat in this webinar and let's put together a plan for you and your business and build in resiliency to bounce back.
Remember It’s Not IF - It’s WHEN!
Are you or someone you know…
In this webinar you will learn and start a basic emergency plan for your business and resiliency skills. You will assess your business's resiliency & emergency preparedness.
We'll explore a basic emergency plan, what to plan for, how to plan, what to documents are needed, and how to organize backup plan if you can't run your business. You'll also learn basic business resiliency tools.
To save your seat & gain Zoom details for this webinar, sign up and register here.
April 9 2020 @ 12 Noon EST / 11am CST / 9am PST
Location: Virtual via Zoom - phone, mobile device or computer access
In this time of uncertainty and change, planning for what if is now more urgent. Working from home and self-isolation is a great time to work on your business and put in place an emergency plan and build in resiliency.
Save your seat in this webinar and let's put together a plan for you and your business and build in resiliency to bounce back.
Remember It’s Not IF - It’s WHEN!
Are you or someone you know…
- Freaking out about what to do with your business if you get sick or worse?
- Running a small to medium sized business in these times of uncertainty?
- Wondering how to deal with COVID-19 and your business?
- Feeling scared or uncertain about what to do if those you need to help run your business get sick or worse?
- Looking to learn how to bounce back in a crisis?
In this webinar you will learn and start a basic emergency plan for your business and resiliency skills. You will assess your business's resiliency & emergency preparedness.
We'll explore a basic emergency plan, what to plan for, how to plan, what to documents are needed, and how to organize backup plan if you can't run your business. You'll also learn basic business resiliency tools.
To save your seat & gain Zoom details for this webinar, sign up and register here.
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