Resilience—Dr. Laura M. Baylor
Laura M. Baylor, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, is an assistant professor of nursing.
I have thought a lot about what makes people resilient since March 2020, given this very difficult path we are all traveling. Having students who are actively working as nurses on the front lines of this pandemic is a daily reminder of what resilience looks like. Their roles as healthcare providers require resilience with or without a pandemic, and I am in awe of their ability to work through COVID-19 and flourish as new nurse practitioners.
I have been wondering if resilience is innate (nature) or learned (nurture).
Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. As much as resilience involves “bouncing back” from these difficult experiences, it can also involve profound personal growth.
The five pillars of resilience are:
Self-Awareness—Know those things that you excel at and those things you need to work on to be a better version of yourself.
Mindfulness—Live in the moment because none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Be open to new experiences.
Self-care—Make sure you treat yourself with the same care and compassion you treat others with. Eat healthy, exercise, engage in enjoyable activities, and sleep well.
Positive relationships—Surround yourself with those who want to see you succeed and help those around you flourish.
Purpose—Serve your faith, family, and society in a positive productive manner.
Adversity provides us with the opportunity to adapt and grow or find an excuse to get lost in our own negativity. During this unprecedented time, believe in yourself and your ability to cope. Stay connected with your support systems, those positive relationships that help you grow not to stagnate. Talk about what you are going through. Sharing your feelings is cathartic and might help others who are afraid to be open about their experiences. Be a beacon of light in this dark time by helping others. Practice finding the positive in every situation, even the darkest of times have shimmers of light in them if you look hard enough. Create an attitude of survivorship. Use this time to teach yourself new things and share what you have learned with those around you. Seek meaning even in difficult situations. Choose this time to nurture your natural resilience and make it stronger.
Back to the nature/nurture question about which I have been wondering. I guess the answer is both.
“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations (author unknown).”
Dr. Laura M. Baylor is an assistant professor of nursing.