"Fall down seven times, get up eight.”
– Japanese proverb
Thomas Edison had many failures attempting to create the light bulb before he finally got it right; Babe Ruth is known for his homeruns, but for decades carried the record for most strikeouts; and Lucille Ball was told to try another profession by her drama instructor. Despite their failures, each of these people reached their goal. What trait do the legendary inventor, baseball player and actress all have in common? Resiliency.
According to the dictionary, resiliency means “the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.” During the journey to recovery, women often encounter difficulty, adversity, failures and frustrations that can trigger depression, isolation, anxiety and hopelessness. They can make us feel like giving up on our dreams and goals. But could you imagine life if Thomas Edison had quit after the first few failed attempts, or if Lucille Ball was a teacher?
They did not accept the failure as permanent. Instead of acting upon emotional devastation they used opposite action, practiced resiliency by viewing it as a challenge, committing to the goal and focusing on the situations within their control.
When you feel like your goals and dreams are unreachable, remember there is no success without failure. On those days when you feel like giving up and resorting to unhealthy coping skills, isolating yourself when depressed, avoiding when you are anxious and negative self-talk appear, practice opposite action by getting up and trying again.
