Resilience is about advancing despite adversity. Some say Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” from difficult challenges. Resilience is also about adapting to change easily while maintaining a good attitude.
We have been Married and Entrepreneurs for 37 years. We have gone through some of the toughest challenges out there, like adoption, a child with cancer, suicide, death of loved ones and more…like self-employed and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can watch this episode to gain the 3 Traits on how to be more resilient when times get tough!
Trait #1 – Sincere Service
The brain tumor would require immediate surgery and a six-week hospital stay. Radiation would begin the following week each day for an additional six weeks. Chemotherapy would start before radiation was through and it would take nine months to complete the chemotherapy regimen prescribed. This began an unbelievable trip through everything from despair and anguish to fear and disbelief. It created chaos and stress while racking up unbelievable medical bills and 180 nights that my son and I slept at Primary Children’s Hospital in eleven months!
This was a time of extreme overwhelm and frustration and yet at the same time we were able to experience peace, joy and love in a huge way as we implemented and lived two of the traits I teach. As we lived our lives from Gratitude and as we learned a new way to SHOW Sincere Service, it began to create a way for our own nightmare to become livable. As we were able to see beyond ourselves and embrace doing for others a heavy our weight was lifted! I share our signature story of a Mylar balloon and our willingness to do Service, no matter what was going on for us and how our lives were changed by this.
What I can tell you is that this was not the end of our trials, but rather more like the beginning. This was our first fight with cancer for our son Jesse and was not the last. In fact the second fight came at the age of 25 for him. He broke his back and 10 weeks later was diagnosed with another brain tumor. This brain tumor was committed. It grew back twice! He had to have 3 surgeries in just 5 months.
Trait #2 – Genuine Gratitude
I teach others a concept that I would like you to consider. Generic Gratitude to me is when we are grateful for the ordinary things in our lives, or maybe I should call them our comforts in life. For example, to have a roof over your head, a warm comfy bed to sleep in and an abundance of food to eat. Perhaps you are grateful for a good job, great clothes, jewelry, hot water and your family or your spouse and children.
My challenge to you is to learn how to have Genuine Gratitude for your trials just as you would your blessings and fully embrace happiness for yourself, even amidst your toughest times. I have lived it both ways, and what I have found is that when you have Gratitude while struggling through difficulties, your life becomes blessed.
Trait #3 – Lasting Love
I see limited love as having several parts. When we talk about limited anything, we are talking about having something withheld or held back, perhaps having restrictions or expectations that need to be met to be able to receive. This shows up in limited love as having conditions, such as if you do this then I will do that. Whenever we have restrictions or conditions to our love it creates it to be limited love. Anytime there are expectations or requirements, it is creating barriers and restrictions which then limit our ability to love fully.