Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson defines resilience as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, toughness. This adaptability can be seen as a strength where determination and a sense of hardiness keep you focused on reaching your goal. The ability to dust yourself off and stick to your path even when you’ve been knocked to the ground.
Angela Duckworth believes that grit is the ultimate form of resilience.
‘Grit is the passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It is a goal you care about so much that it gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down and screw up.
When we dedicate ourselves to a meaningful goal, this gives us grit, toughness, will power – a sense that you harden yourself up in the face of adversity. But I believe that there is a paradox to resilience.
‘Hard doesn’t mean pain.
Effort doesn’t mean struggle
Discomfort doesn’t mean negative.’
I believe there is a balance between discipline and compassion, between being hard and being soft. Discipline gets us to act whilst compassion allows us grace in how we show up and try each day. This helps us to celebrate small milestones along the journey to arriving at our final destination – the big end goal.
I don’t want to grow a thick skin. I want my skin to stay as thin as it was made, and everything outside of that to be softer. Brianna Pastor.
One way we can find balance in order to cultivate resilience in the long term is to:
- Find discipline to arrive on your mat every day
- Create a sense of stillness and softness in practicing beathing exercises
No matter your mood or what is going on throughout your day, just the small act of stepping onto your mat in a quiet space gives you the opportunity to center yourself and find clarity for each challenge that you face outside of it.
Box breathing is a simple and effective relaxation technique that helps reduce stress and improve focus. It can be an effective tool to help you foster soft resilience.
It involves four equal phases, creating a “box” pattern with your breath. Here’s how to practice it:
- Inhale for four seconds: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four.
- Hold for four seconds: Hold your breath for a count of four.
- Exhale for four seconds: Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of four.
- Hold for four seconds: Hold your breath again for a count of four.
Some of the benefits of box breathing include:
- Reduces stress: Helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation.
- Improvesfocus: Enhances concentration by grounding you in the present moment.
- Regulates emotions: Aids in managing anxiety and emotional responses.
- Promotes calmness: Can help prepare you for challenging situations or improve sleep quality.
Mental toughness is key to achieving your long term goals however celebrating your achievements along the way and recognising your effort is essential to feed your passion and sense of motivation.
In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you. Deepak Chopra
