The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the word resilience as "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change." Learning how to remain positive, in the face of adversity, is a challenging skill to learn. Self-reflection is one of the mechanism tools to overcome a difficult moment in life, whether it is personal or professional.

Resilience: A State of Mind
In the webinar entitled "What’s Resilience?", presented by Tatiana Kolovou at Lynda.com, this competence is developed in a five-step mechanism:

• Practice rejection and manage positive self-talk.
• Create opportunities to fail.
• Be comfortable with uncomfortable situations.
• Manage your energy and restore it.
• Keep things in perspective.

Self-Reflection as an Evaluation Tool
Kolovou states that developing a discipline of perseverance, in hard times, is the key to success. Here are the three questions that are proposed in the webinar to dismantle a negative situation:

• What could you have done differently?
• How did you handle the situation?
• Did you remain positive?

Stories About Resilience
Reading stories in books can help us develop empathy and build perseverance in the causes that we believe. Here are a few narrations that might motivate you to see "resilience" from another type of perspective.

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
This is a story of a brave girl that believes in education as the way to succeed in life. Set in a rural area in Pakistan, Amal must obey family and society rules in order to survive. In this setting, any girl who breaks a rule is condemned to live with the consequences of her action. In the story, Amal insults the abusive ruler of her village, and she is obligated to work for him, as a servant, in order to pay back for the offense. 

Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom, Jr.
In order to unlock your true potential and achieve your goals, you must be prepared to fail. Odom states: "Every NO you’ll hear IS a NO on the way to your ultimate YES." Watch this short interview from the CBS This Morning program.

Resilience Materials Available at Your Library
The Free Library has a great selection on the topic of resilience. Search our catalog to find a list of titles and materials available, as well as the many electronic resources available through our online databases.

Be perseverance in the face of adversity!

#resilience #leadership #discipline