Stay in gratitude.
Gratitude can indeed play a role in building resilience. Here’s an example of how gratitude can contribute to resilience:
Imagine someone who has experienced a significant setback, such as losing their job. In this challenging situation, they might initially feel overwhelmed, disappointed, and unsure about their future. However, practicing gratitude can help them build resilience and navigate their difficulties.
Resilience has been described as the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. Times are not easy now. How do we develop greater resilience to withstand the challenges that keep being thrown at us? In this interview series, we are talking to mental health experts, authors, resilience experts, coaches, and business leaders who can talk about how we can develop greater resilience to improve our lives.
As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Kipp.
Elizabeth Kipp is a Stress Management and Historical Trauma Specialist who uses Trauma-Trained and Yoga-Informed Addiction Recovery Coaching, Ancestral Clearing®, Compassionate Inquiry, and yoga to help people with their healing. Elizabeth healed from over 40 years of chronic pain, including anxiety, panic attacks, and addiction. She now works to help others achieve the same healing for themselves that she experienced directly from the work she teaches and is the best-selling author of “The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power.”
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
I remember a time when I was so stressed out. I felt like I was trapped and lost in a dark closet. I couldn’t find the doorknob. I couldn’t even see the door. Dark shrouded the entire space like an all-enveloping cloak. I couldn’t find even the tiniest hint of light — anywhere. Yet, a part of me knew that I had to keep searching for the light and for a way out. A part of me knew there was an exit. I searched, and I searched. The tension had wrapped itself up in me like one of those toy tops I used to play with as a child.
I finally found the key to unlocking the door to the prison I found myself in — I no longer looked away from everything inside me that I had tried to ignore, deny, repress, distract myself from, or numb out. From that day on, I have been on a long journey inward. This is my final frontier, the great undiscovered country of Elizabeth. I had to learn to surrender to all that was living inside me.
My mission in life, which has become a business, is to encourage commitment, integrity, and self-love and promote peace and ease by offering effective ways to adapt easefully to the changes life brings, creating health, wellness, and joy.
I help people find the light when they find themselves lost in the darkness of their pain — no matter its origin.
The path through healing from trauma and the pain that follows from it — is known. And there are reliable and effective tools to help effect that healing. This knowledge and having teachers to help me apply them properly was uplifting. By traveling this path myself, I learned how to use them skillfully. It is a distinct honor to be in a position where I can now offer such tools to others in their search to find their way out of the darkness.
Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?
Here is a story of my client Claire’s (whose name has been changed to protect anonymity) lived experience:
Claire: “I’ve looked everywhere. I’ve seen scores of doctors. I’ve taken the medicines. I’ve done what I was told. The medicine isn’t working. I am still in pain, and it’s getting worse. I’m losing hope. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a ledge and will fall at any moment. Surely there is another way to live, one without this constant suffering from chronic pain. Tell me what to do. I’ll do it. Just help me, please. You have gone through chronic pain and come out the other side. Can you help me?”
Me: “Yes. I am not a doctor or a therapist. However, I have gone through decades of chronic pain and found help to heal my condition and a way to live a life without suffering. I am happy to teach you the tools that worked for me.”
I sat calmly with this chronic pain sufferer. First, I asked Claire to just breathe and drop any struggle with the pain. We talked for a short while, and I listened to Claire’s story. She had never been able to tell her story to anyone who truly seemed to hear her. The relief in Claire’s voice from finally being heard was palpable. Next, I did an Ancestral Clearing with her.
Claire felt a pronounced shift and release in her pain. “Wow!” she said. “I feel calm and ease in my body. I wasn’t sure that this would ever be possible for me again in my life. For the first time in eleven years, I have hope.”
Claire’s experience is an example of what is possible with chronic pain. The brain is changed by chronic pain. We need to bring modalities that help heal those changes. Opiates and benzodiazepines, often prescribed to treat chronic pain, do not heal the changes that chronic pain imposes on the brain. Doctors are generally not trained in how to heal chronic pain, only in how to help us numb it. There are ways to recover from chronic pain.
I learned that it is possible to create a safe enough space for a client to allow themselves to be open to a new experience, a healing experience. And I learned what a humbling place it is to sit and watch someone else be able to unleash the healing power within them.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
The best way to describe how my business stands out is to share a testimonial from a business colleague:
“Elizabeth is a powerful leader, an empowering and heart-led business owner, and an extremely gifted healer. Joining her Masterclass inside the Wellness For All Programming was such a liberating moment to witness the engagement, the compassion, and the expertise Elizabeth combines in her teaching style. I could relate, felt held and safe as well as I knew she knows her stuff.
I love the way Elizabeth cares for her students, engages with them, and builds community. Her classes are not just a one-off connection but a support system that reflects what Elizabeth stands for. Pain-free lifestyle, support through chronic pain, and real-life experiences. I highly recommend Elizabeth as an event coordinator, speaker, and someone that could come to your organization to bring awareness AND or tools to manage your pain.
Elizabeth understands the business of wellness and is a welcomed advisor on our Wellness For All Programming mastermind team within The Wellness Universe. Her strategies and suggestions are top-notch, proven successful tactics.
It’s been a joy to work alongside Elizabeth as well as witness her teaching style, and I happily recommend my clients who are in pain, overwhelmed, and on high alert to Elizabeth. I know they are in good hands and will be supported along their pain-free journey.”
– Debbie Prediger, Founder of the Empowering YOU Community, Empowerment Leader, and Business Strategist
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
After I had spent more than forty years going to doctors all over the world, looking for health and healing, Dr. Peter Przekop, D.O, Ph.D., was the first one who considered my health situation in terms of my whole self — my mind, body, and spirit. He was a phenomenally gifted healer and a fierce force for love. Those of us who knew Dr. Przekop felt the sweet, deep, and indelible mark he left on our hearts. He looked beyond the specific diagnosis and prognosis that many other doctors had given me. He stared straight into me and saw who I truly was — a being trapped in the grip of chronic pain, waiting to emerge and experience the healing power tucked inside of me so that I could fully blossom. Dr. Przekop opened the door and then guided me into releasing the awesome, powerful potential to heal that lived inside of me. He taught me and thousands of others how to live a life free of pain and suffering.
One of the most profound things he taught me was to accept what is. Dr. Przekop was here on earth teaching us that we don’t have to suffer and showing us how to do that — to not suffer for real.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the trait of resilience. How would you define resilience? What do you believe are the characteristics or traits of resilient people?
What is resilience?
People vary in their ability to adapt to stress in life and have different abilities to recover from stressful experiences. This capacity to handle stress is called resilience. Key factors determining resilience are the qualities that help you recover from a stressful event and help you thrive in the face of any challenge. How to nurture and sustain resilience is an essential part of healing.
Here are the characteristics or traits of resilient people:
1) Wide window of tolerance: Resilient people can tolerate change without their nervous system getting dysregulated, or if they do get dysregulated, they come back into regulation quickly.
2) Positive mindset: Resilient individuals tend to have an optimistic outlook and believe in their ability to overcome obstacles. They have a positive attitude and focus on opportunities for growth and learning, even in difficult circumstances.
3) Emotional intelligence: Resilient people have a good understanding of their emotions and the ability to manage them effectively. They can regulate their emotions, cope with stress, and maintain a sense of calm during challenging situations.
4) Strong problem-solving skills: Resilient individuals are often resourceful and can solve problems. They approach challenges proactively, breaking them down into manageable steps and seeking creative solutions.
5) Social support: Resilient people recognize the importance of social connections and maintain supportive relationships. They seek help when needed, rely on others for emotional support, and have a sense of belonging that helps them through tough times.
6) Flexibility and adaptability: Resilient individuals can adjust their goals, plans, and strategies when faced with setbacks. They are open to change and willing to revise their approach to overcome obstacles.
7) Self-belief and confidence: Resilient people have a strong sense of self-belief and confidence in their abilities. They trust themselves to navigate difficulties and believe in their capacity to overcome challenges.
8) Sense of purpose: Resilient people often have a clear sense of purpose or meaning. They have goals, values, and a sense of direction that provides them with motivation and resilience during challenging times.
9) Self-care and stress management: Resilient individuals prioritize self-care and practice healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress. They engage in activities that promote their physical and mental well-being, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, and hobbies.
10) Learning from setbacks: Resilient people view setbacks as learning experiences rather than failures. They embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and development, extracting lessons from their experiences to build resilience for the future.
Resilience is not a fixed trait but can be developed and strengthened with practice and support.
Courage is often likened to resilience. In your opinion how is courage both similar and different from resilience?
Courage and resilience are related concepts that share some similarities but have distinct differences.
Similarities:
Overcoming fear: Both courage and resilience involve facing and overcoming fear or adversity. They require individuals to confront difficult situations or challenges that may be intimidating or uncomfortable.
Emotional strength: Both courage and resilience require emotional strength and the ability to manage emotions effectively. They deal with discomfort, uncertainty, and potential setbacks while maintaining composure and a positive mindset.
Persistence: Both courage and resilience involve persistence and determination. They require individuals to keep going despite obstacles or setbacks and to persevere in the pursuit of their goals or in navigating difficult circumstances.
Differences:
Focus and motivation: Courage often arises from a specific situation that requires individuals to take action despite fear. It is more situational and can be seen as a response to a specific challenge or risk. On the other hand, resilience is a broader quality that encompasses an individual’s ability to bounce back from various difficulties and maintain well-being. Resilience refers to a wide window of tolerance to change, whereas courage does not require a wide window of tolerance.
Proactivity vs. Reactivity: Courage often involves taking proactive action in the face of fear or danger. It requires individuals to step out of their comfort zones and take risks. Resilience, however, is more focused on how we respond, react, and adapt to adverse situations. It involves bouncing back and recovering from setbacks rather than actively seeking challenges.
Scope: Courage tends to be more context-specific, often related to particular events or situations that require bravery. On the other hand, resilience has a broader range and can be applied to various aspects of life, including emotional, physical, and social challenges.
Outcome orientation: Courage is often associated with achieving a specific goal or outcome, such as standing up for one’s beliefs or taking a leap of faith. While it can involve goal setting and achievement, resilience is more focused on adapting, coping, and recovering from adversity, regardless of the specific outcome.
Courage and resilience are intertwined qualities that involve facing fear and adversity. Courage tends to be more situation-specific and proactive, while resilience is a broader characteristic focused on adaptability, bouncing back, and maintaining well-being in the face of challenges.
When you think of resilience, which person comes to mind? Can you explain why you chose that person?
Barack Obama is a powerful example of someone resilient.
Barack Obama can be considered a resilient person due to several reasons:
Challenging upbringing: Mr. Obama faced numerous challenges in his upbringing, including being raised by a single mother and his family’s financial struggles. Despite these obstacles, he remained focused on his education and personal development, eventually attending prestigious institutions such as Columbia University and Harvard Law School.
Political obstacles: Throughout his presidency, President Obama faced significant political obstacles, including opposition from political rivals, contentious policy debates, and the economic recession of 2008. Despite these challenges, he maintained composure, displayed strong leadership skills, and navigated complex political landscapes to advance his policy agenda.
Healthcare reform: One of President Obama’s significant accomplishments was the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. The implementation of this legislation faced substantial opposition, legal challenges, and public scrutiny. Despite these hurdles, President Obama persisted, demonstrating resilience in advocating for and implementing a major healthcare reform initiative.
Global challenges: President Obama also faced a range of significant international challenges during his presidency, including the rise of ISIS, the Syrian civil war, and the global economic crisis. He demonstrated resilience in navigating these complex issues, working with international partners, and making difficult decisions in the best interest of the United States and the global community.
Public scrutiny and criticism: As the first African American president of the United States, President Obama faced heightened scrutiny, criticism, and at times, racially motivated attacks. He exhibited resilience by focusing on his responsibilities, remaining composed in the face of adversity, and rising above negativity to pursue his goals and initiatives.
Personal setbacks: Mr. Obama also experienced personal setbacks throughout his life and career. These included the loss of his mother, grappling with questions of identity and belonging, and enduring the challenges of public life while trying to maintain a sense of privacy and personal balance. Despite these setbacks, he exhibited resilience by adapting, staying true to his values, and continuing to work towards his vision.
Mr. Obama’s ability to remain composed, focused, and determined in the face of significant challenges demonstrates his resilience as a leader. He exhibits the traits of optimism, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and perseverance, which allow him to navigate adversity and accomplish meaningful change.
Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us?
I was told by a number of doctors, who were specialists in their fields, that I would never heal from chronic pain. They told me that I would be in level 7 out of 10 pain for the rest of my life and that I would be in a wheelchair when I was forty years old. So, they were telling me that it was impossible for me to heal.
Fortunately, I did not believe them. I realized that they were operating in the self-limiting framework of science. I also knew that they could not say that it would be impossible for me to heal because, within the scientific framework, there are only probabilities, not facts. Further, I saw that in their pronouncements, they were telling me more about the limitations of the medical model they were working in than they were telling me about the body’s ability to heal.
It took me more than three decades to heal from chronic pain, but I did heal from it in 2013, thanks to the skillful guidance of Dr. Peter Przekop, D.O., Ph.D.
Did you have a time in your life when you had one of your greatest setbacks, but you bounced back from it stronger than ever? Can you share that story with us?
I had spinal fusion surgery in 1983 when AIDS and Hepatitis B were in the blood supply before anyone realized it. I was given a blood transfusion and contracted Hepatitis B, but no one realized it. I was so weak after that surgery and in a lot of pain. I eventually healed from both the surgery and Hepatitis B and a healthier than ever today. I and my medical team never realized I had contracted Hepatitis B until I had an AIDS test in 2013. The antibodies for Hepatitis B showed up in the blood test.
How have you cultivated resilience throughout your life? Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share a story?
I feel like I was born with the grace of gratitude. Gratitude has seen me through thick and thin in my life. In Addition, I have always had help from others when I needed it. Social support is a characteristic of resilience, and I had a lot it support. Another quality of resilience that I have always had is persistence, which has seen me through the darkest of times.
I grew up with a mother who had an undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Her temperament was fiery and unpredictable. Living with her was like walking on eggshells, trying to keep them from breaking. I never knew when something I would say or do, or not say or not do would set my mother off in a tirade. Through persistence and gratitude, I found my way through my mother’s erratic behavior while I was living with her.
Resilience is like a muscle that can be strengthened. In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone can take to become more resilient?
Here are five steps someone can take to become more resilient:
1 . Use conscious breathing techniques
Conscious breathing practices can be effective tools for building resilience by providing various benefits to our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here’s how conscious breathing practices contribute to resilience:
- Stress reduction: Conscious breathing techniques, such as deep belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, activate the body’s relaxation response and help counter the effects of stress. Individuals can lower their heart rate, reduce muscle tension, and decrease stress hormones by focusing on the breath and consciously slowing it down. This enables them to better manage and cope with their challenges, promoting resilience.
- Emotional regulation: Conscious breathing practices can enhance emotional regulation by creating a sense of calm and grounding. Taking intentional breaths allows individuals to pause, observe their emotions without judgment, and respond more composed and balanced. This ability to regulate emotions is crucial for resilience, as it helps individuals navigate difficult situations and make better decisions.
- Increased self-awareness: Engaging in conscious breathing fosters self-awareness by bringing attention to the present moment. Individuals become more attuned to their physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions by focusing on the breath. This heightened self-awareness enables them to recognize their stress triggers, thought patterns, and emotional responses. With this awareness, individuals can consciously choose more adaptive and resilient responses to challenging situations.
- Improved focus and clarity: Conscious breathing practices cultivate a centered and focused state of mind. Individuals can quiet the mind and reduce mental distractions by directing attention to their breath. This improved focus and clarity allow for better problem-solving, decision-making, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances — essential qualities for resilience.
- Enhanced energy and vitality: Conscious breathing techniques can increase oxygen flow to the body and brain, boosting energy levels and promoting vitality. This physical revitalization supports resilience by providing individuals with the energy and stamina needed to face and overcome challenges.
- Mind-body connection: Engaging in conscious breathing practices deepens the mind-body connection. By intentionally directing breath to different parts of the body, individuals can release tension, promote relaxation, and foster a sense of harmony between the mind and body. This integration supports resilience by facilitating a holistic approach to well-being, where physical and mental health are interconnected.
Incorporating conscious breathing practices into daily routines, mindfulness exercises, or during moments of stress or uncertainty can help individuals cultivate resilience. By harnessing the power of the breath, individuals can reduce stress, regulate emotions, increase self-awareness, and improve focus, ultimately enhancing their capacity to bounce back from adversity and adapt to challenging situations.
2 . Get connected:
Getting connected with others can significantly contribute to building resilience. Here are ways in which connection fosters resilience:
- Social support: Building and maintaining strong social connections is fundamental to resilience. A supportive network of family, friends, colleagues, or community members provides emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging. During challenging times, having people who can listen, offer advice, or provide a compassionate presence can help individuals cope better and navigate difficulties with resilience.
- Shared experiences: Connecting with others who have faced similar challenges or adversities can be empowering. By sharing experiences, individuals gain insights, validation, and inspiration from others’ resilience stories. Knowing that others have overcome similar obstacles and hearing about their strategies and coping mechanisms can instill hope and reinforce the belief that resilience is possible.
- Perspective and guidance: Connections with trusted mentors, coaches, or role models can provide valuable guidance and perspective. These individuals can offer wisdom, advice, and insights based on their own experiences. Their guidance can help individuals reframe challenges, explore alternative solutions, and gain a broader perspective, which enhances resilience.
- Collaboration and teamwork: Building connections within teams or communities promotes cooperation and teamwork. Working together towards a common goal fosters a sense of unity, shared responsibility, and collective problem-solving. Collaboration allows individuals to leverage each other’s strengths, pool resources, and support one another, enhancing resilience in facing complex challenges.
- Learning and growth: Connecting with a diverse range of people exposes individuals to different perspectives, ideas, and knowledge. Engaging in meaningful conversations, seeking feedback, or participating in learning communities expands one’s understanding and promotes personal growth. This continuous learning process contributes to resilience by broadening one’s skills, adaptability, and ability to navigate a variety of situations.
- Empathy and compassion: Connecting with others cultivates empathy and compassion towards oneself and others. Developing these qualities enhances resilience by fostering self-compassion during challenging times, allowing individuals to be kind and understanding toward themselves. Additionally, empathy and compassion facilitate connection with others, fostering a supportive environment that strengthens collective resilience.
- Sense of purpose and belonging: Connectedness with others helps individuals develop a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging to a community or cause that aligns with one’s values and passions provides a sense of identity and meaning. This sense of purpose and belonging fuels motivation, resilience, and perseverance during setbacks.
By actively seeking and nurturing connections with others, individuals can build a robust support system, gain new perspectives, access guidance, and experience the power of collective resilience. Meaningful connections foster emotional well-being, reinforce a sense of belonging, and provide the social resources necessary to navigate challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.
3 . Step into purpose:
Stepping into a sense of purpose can profoundly impact building resilience. Here’s an example of how it can contribute to resilience:
Imagine a person who faces a significant personal setback, such as a career setback or a failed project. Initially, they may feel demoralized, uncertain, and lacking direction. However, they can harness their resilience and navigate through adversity by stepping into a sense of purpose.
- Clarity and motivation: Embracing a sense of purpose provides individuals with clarity about what truly matters to them and what they want to achieve. This clarity is a guiding light during difficult times, helping them stay focused on their long-term vision. By reminding themselves of their purpose, they can maintain their motivation and regain their resilience even in the face of setbacks.
- Meaning and significance: Having a sense of purpose imbues one’s actions and experiences with meaning and significance. It allows individuals to view setbacks as part of their broader journey toward fulfilling their purpose. They can find lessons and growth opportunities in their challenges, knowing that each step contributes to their overall purpose. This perspective shift infuses their resilience with a sense of meaning, making it easier to bounce back and persevere.
- Resilient mindset: Stepping into a sense of purpose cultivates a resilient mindset. Individuals with a clear purpose are more likely to view setbacks as temporary obstacles rather than insurmountable failures. They understand that setbacks are a natural part of the journey and can adapt their strategies, learn from their experiences, and keep moving forward. Purpose-driven individuals tend to have a more optimistic outlook and greater belief in their ability to overcome adversity.
- Adaptability and flexibility: Embracing a sense of purpose allows individuals to adjust their plans and strategies in response to setbacks. While the ultimate purpose remains constant, the path to achieving it may need to be revised. Purpose-driven individuals are open to new possibilities, willing to adapt their approach and find alternative routes to their goals. This adaptability allows them to navigate setbacks resiliently, as they can quickly pivot and find new ways.
- Well-being and self-care: Stepping into a sense of purpose often involves aligning one’s actions with their values and well-being. Purpose-driven individuals prioritize physical and mental self-care as they understand the importance of their own well-being in pursuing their purpose. By caring for themselves, they maintain the energy, focus, and resilience needed to overcome challenges and stay on their purposeful path.
Individuals can tap into their inner reservoirs of resilience by stepping into a sense of purpose. They find clarity, meaning, and motivation, which enable them to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and stay committed to their purpose. This sense of purpose strengthens their resilience, allowing them to bounce back, adapt, and ultimately thrive, even in adversity.
4 . Learn from your experiences:
Learning from experiences is a crucial aspect of building resilience. Here’s an example of how learning from experiences contributes to resilience:
Imagine a person who has faced multiple setbacks and failures in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Instead of becoming discouraged or giving up, they actively learn from each experience and use those lessons to build resilience:
- Identifying patterns and trends: Through reflection and analysis, the person recognizes recurring patterns in their past failures. They identify specific factors that contributed to those failures, such as poor planning, lack of market research, or inadequate financial management. This awareness allows them to gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses and make necessary adjustments.
- Acquiring knowledge and skills: Learning from past experiences prompts the individual to seek additional knowledge and skills to address the identified gaps. They may attend relevant workshops or courses, read books, or seek advice from experts in their field. By continuously expanding their knowledge base and skill set, they enhance their ability to navigate challenges effectively.
- Adapting strategies: Armed with the knowledge gained from past experiences, the person adjusts their strategies and approaches. They refine their business plans, fine-tune their marketing strategies, or restructure their teams based on lessons learned. This adaptability enables them to be more proactive and make more informed decisions, increasing their chances of success.
- Developing a resilience mindset: Learning from experiences contributes to the development of a resilient mindset. The person starts to view setbacks as valuable learning opportunities rather than failures. They recognize that failures are stepping stones to growth and development. This shift in mindset reduces fear of failure and allows them to bounce back more quickly and effectively from future setbacks.
- Building problem-solving skills: Learning from experiences hones problem-solving skills. Each setback presents unique challenges that require creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. The person builds problem-solving capacity by actively reflecting on past experiences and finding solutions. This skill becomes an asset in overcoming future obstacles and building resilience.
- Cultivating perseverance and determination: Learning from experiences nurtures perseverance and determination. As the person learns that setbacks are part of the journey and that success often requires multiple attempts, they develop the mental fortitude to keep going despite challenges. They build resilience by maintaining their motivation and staying committed to their goals, even when faced with adversity.
- Harnessing strengths and resources: Learning from experiences helps individuals identify their strengths, talents, and available resources. They recognize what they excel at and leverage those strengths in future endeavors. Additionally, they tap into their support networks and seek guidance from mentors or peers, further bolstering their resilience through collective resources.
By actively learning from experiences, individuals cultivate resilience by gaining valuable insights, adapting strategies, developing problem-solving skills, and nurturing a resilient mindset. They become better equipped to face future challenges, embrace growth opportunities, and persevere in their pursuit of success.
5 . Stay in gratitude.
Gratitude can indeed play a role in building resilience. Here’s an example of how gratitude can contribute to resilience:
Imagine someone who has experienced a significant setback, such as losing their job. In this challenging situation, they might initially feel overwhelmed, disappointed, and unsure about their future. However, practicing gratitude can help them build resilience and navigate their difficulties.
- Shifting focus: Instead of dwelling on the negative aspects of the job loss, the person can consciously redirect their focus toward gratitude. They can express gratitude for the skills they gained in their previous job, their opportunities, or their supportive colleagues. This shift in focus allows them to see the situation more positively.
- Perspective and reframing: Gratitude helps individuals reframe their setbacks and view them as opportunities for growth. They can express gratitude for the chance to explore new career paths, learn new skills, or reassess their goals and priorities. This perspective shift allows them to see the job loss as a stepping stone toward a potentially better future.
- Positive emotions and well-being: By practicing gratitude, individuals can cultivate positive emotions and improve their overall well-being. Expressing gratitude for the support they receive from loved ones, the resources available, or the small wins they experience during their job search can boost their mood, reduce stress, and enhance their ability to cope with challenges.
- Resilient mindset: Gratitude nurtures a resilient mindset by promoting optimism, hope, and a sense of abundance. It encourages individuals to focus on what they have rather than what they lack, fostering resilience and the belief that they have the inner resources to overcome obstacles.
- Social support: Expressing gratitude to others for their support during difficult times strengthens social connections. This, in turn, can provide a vital support network during adversity. Sharing gratitude with friends, family, or mentors who have offered guidance or assistance can deepen those relationships and create a supportive environment for building resilience.
By integrating gratitude into their mindset and daily practices, people can develop resilience by embracing a positive outlook, reframing setbacks as opportunities, and nurturing their well-being. Gratitude is a powerful tool for building resilience, allowing individuals to bounce back, adapt, and grow in the face of challenges.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I am passionate about people healing and stepping up and getting serious about it. I would start a ’12 Steps of Wellness Movement.’ Here they are:
- None of us were born to suffer.
- We all have the ability to heal.
- Love with all your heart.
- Get real about your healing.
- Commit to your healing.
- Do the work it takes to heal.
- Do the work every day.
- Get real about your healing (if you missed it the first time.)
- Never let anyone or anything get in the way of your healing.
- Love yourself fiercely and without reservation.
- Accept what is.
- Be grateful for all that comes your way, and more will be revealed.
We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂
Oprah Winfrey — I would love to meet and share a meal with Oprah Winfrey. Her wisdom and rich experience would truly be a bucket-list moment. She has gone through so much, and only a part of it is known to me. She also is dedicated to wellness and making a valuable contribution to the world, and she has done so in an extraordinary way.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
You can further follow me at https://Elizabeth-Kipp.com
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!