7 keys to resilience
Since the pandemic almost 3(!) years ago. There are some things that have changed us as a society, affecting the way we interact with each other and the future. It feels as if our resilience has had the air let out of it. Just as the kids of the 90’s enjoyed the blowup toy with sand in the bottom that would pop up after being punched. Over and over again with out ceasing a small fist would be thrust into the toy after which it would fall back and touch the ground and then pop right back up. No matter the environment or circumstance. One could bet the toy would return to the original position. Our punches; change, transitions, tragedy and disappointment are more deflating than ever causing us to give up on relationships and opportunities long before we would previously. Below is a list of keys that has informed my resilient journey on which I’ve seen two churches closed and with my wife and kids traveled 20,000 miles in an RV. I’ve even moved on from toxic work conditions during the last 10 years. I’ve learned never to give up on promises from God. As long as there is a light in you there is a fight in you.
With PASSION we do the most we can, without it, the least. Passion is the determination to spend all of your life in pursuit of the excellence that comes when we throw ourselves fully into what makes us come alive. I’ve found that during the grieving process for my younger sister (she passed away November 26th, 2016) it took digging to remember what I was passionate about. When I found it, it became a lifeline to the joy I once had, creating. Despite the many TRANSITIONS that happen throughout the life of every human. We are surprised when they occur and still catch us off guard. Learning to embrace these seasons creates a readiness to accept and move through whatever comes our way. The older I get the more I’m convinced JOY is the cheat code for finding the beautiful parts of every situation. Learning to cultivate a heart that carries it well will cause happiness to always be within an arms reach. I am convinced God had joy is his heart when He created us all. There is no way to avoid going through tough times but GROWING THROUGH PAIN is a entire different matter. When the pressure rises and it seems we can’t take anymore, to be able to turn our hearts towards the growth that is happening. Yes we may be suffering, but God in all of His benevolence like to hide kindness in it. Grow through it, let us not just Go through it. As an optimist it became hard to find the positive role SADNESS could play in my life, but it did and encouraged me to feel the lows and not just the highs. Americans are great at celebrating the highs (4th of July) but can’t even acknowledge the lows (slavery). The blues are a very important hue to the color spectrum and the spectrum of human emotion. Everything God creates has a PURPOSE that we can only discover from him. The greatest disease in the world in purposeless. That is what lends men (and women) to feel hopeless and apathetic. Not only do you have a purpose but it is one that is specific and vital to the fabric of mankind. The last key to resilience is VISION, to be able to see where we are going and what we will become. No matter how outlandish it may seem, vision gives pain a purpose. Take a moment to activate the greatest of mankind’s tools, imagination. This is the place where we can see what has not come and do what has not been done yet. We only give up when we can no longer see the way. May our future be ever etched on our hearts.
The Seven Keys are:
Passion-R
Transition-O
Joy-Y
Growing through Pain-G
Sadness-B
Purpose-I
Vision-V
Corresponding to the Seven color scale: ROYGBIV
