We covered the first step in being resilient last week with a call to action to refocus on our Purpose after we experience a setback or disappointment. Whether that purpose is to be a loving parent, a committed spouse, a hard-worker, a loyal friend, an intentional servant where there is a need, etc., taking the important first step to refocus on our purpose is critical to harness the strength to rise and get back into the fight.

Unfortunately, since last week’s message, the world has not changed much so we still need to possess the principle of resilience in our quiver to effectively handle the challenges we will face.

As we continue on our journey to build and strengthen our character, resilience is one of those principles we need to be our best for those we care about most. This blog post is the second part of the message to bring some practical, proven steps to strengthen our resilience as a key dimension of our character.

From last week, we described resilience simply as the mental, emotional, and physical strength to continue after a difficult setback or failure. If you read last week’s blog you will remember that we all experience our share of disappoint, despair, failure, and a few other unpleasant experiences in our roles in the home, work, and community. In addition, we are all nursing a few wounds even as we continue to attend our daily costume party with those around us.  

For Part II of this message, the second important step to be resilient after a setback is to take small, routine steps daily in order to get some forward motion and momentum building again.

As we mentioned last week, a major setback in life can literally take our breadth away and cause us to be somewhat unstable and on shaky ground. The first step of refocusing on our Purpose helps us get steady again and ready for the next step. By taking this next step, basically small routine steps daily, we accomplish several things in the context of being resilient:

1. We get moving again. Just through muscle memory with little thought or emotion, we just begin to get activity going in a purposeful direction. At home, we clean the dishes, cook a meal, clean the garage, cut the grass etc., that helps get practical, simple routine tasks done to get life back in us after a major setback. At work, we process payroll, update employees, call customers, clean out some email, etc. and get back doing the typically daily tasks of the business.
2. We regain a sense of worth. By doing routine, practical tasks we begin to regain our sense of worth which can be quite damaged after a significant disappointment or journey through despair. We don’t need to immediately charge the hill or climb the mountain, we just need to get moving on some simple tasks to get our life back on the rails toward the long-term purpose for our lives.
3. We build momentum and confidence. As we complete the small, simple tasks, we start to get our strength back and our confidence builds to keep moving forward. Just like blood rushing into muscles and our brain after a crushing blow, movement through routine tasks gets our mind out of the fog of despair and we begin to see more clearly a future that is slowly becoming brighter with each passing day.
4. Time begins to pass. Time is often our best counselor. As we move forward with small tasks daily, we begin to create distance between the immediate sting after a disappointment and the eventual path to health that we desire.   

As we take the steps to refocus on our purpose and complete small, routine tasks after experiencing a setback or disappointment, we will take the necessary steps to be resilient which will help us build and strengthen our character and Character Creates Opportunity to be our best for those we care about most.