Why I Don’t Like the Word ‘Resilient’ (But Believe in What It Means)
At work the other day, I was delivering a webinar about resilience. I dont like that word. I prefer being strong. I think part of the reason I struggle with the word resilient is the same reason I don’t like the word survivor. They’ve both been used so often that they start to feel like labels instead of lived experiences.
Anyway, we were talking about being resilient and what it means to people, and how they can be resilient and dont even know it.
Some of them said they didn't feel resilient every day, but as we unpicked it more we explained to them that because they had been brave enough to come on this course and talk to us they were strong and brave, and the fact that they were there, asking for support was huge.
There are plenty out there who wouldn't do what they did. They would book the webinar and not turn up because it felt too scary, they felt like they would be judged.
Then we went on to talk about how we can be more resilient as individuals, and a lot of it was talking about self care.
I immediately thought of when hubby was away on deployments and how I learnt a new craft in no needles knitting to get me through. Making those little projects were like these little wins that made me feel proud of myself, and that was true for those parent carers on the call. It's the little wins that get us through the days, the minutes, the hours. not the big things.
When he was away, I wanted me time, so I did the flicking through social media, and did find the occasional snippet of fun and giggles (this is what made me create Middle Woe, wanting others to have that little bit of escapism). And that is what it is really, escaping from the modern world for just a few much needed minutes to get back a bit of yourself and then remember those moments when it is getting tricky.
Maybe this is true for you as well?