Collective Resilience

Expand your resilience by joining or establishing communities.

There is real power in numbers.

Resilience can be improved from providing support whenever able or from receiving it whenever needed. 

Established communities allow for the transfer and development of resilience. Collectively we are stronger.

I write primarily about individual resilience and the power of intentional stress to develop it. Resilience, however, is rarely possible without help. Every adult was once a child that received some form of assistance to survive. Objectively and subjectively, support from others encourages success. Confidence can be drawn from experience, but it can also come from knowing something or someone has your back.

Simply knowing you have support can boost resilience. This belief, however, can only be effective when your particular resources have already proven to be credible.

Self-awareness is imperative for managing stress and overcoming adversity. Individually, you can’t respond to adversity or practice resilience if you aren’t conscious of your stress response. It is therefore equally important to know when you aren’t adequately managing stress so you can seek support. True strength is knowing your limits and being able to recognize when help is needed. Time and severity of mental or physical performance decrements provide insight into appropriate intervention. Burnout, the popular term for chronic mismanagement of stress, occurs to those unaware of or unwilling to seek help. If you aren’t responding well individually, it’s time to utilize your support systems.

Who are your people? What are your resources? Where do you draw your power from? 

Connection can be found in many arenas, however, it’s important to establish support systems prior to need. Unfortunately, there are many cases where significant others or close family members aren’t adequate forms of support. We can’t pick our family, but we absolutely have control of who we surround ourselves with. Our resilience, character, and enjoyment of life can be a direct consequence of this choice.  Choose wisely. “True beauty comes from within” might be a cliche statement but it makes a lot of sense when you consider the people who end up with someone or choose friends for the wrong, superficial reasons. Having a quality spouse, valuable friends, and established communities that foster growth and support provides the ideal foundation for life fulfillment regardless of adversity.

We also control where we place our attention. The digital age has created many distractions and attention sucking platforms that feign connection. Time spent on electronic devices is almost always negatively correlated with resilience and fulfillment. That being said, there are beautiful examples of communities online that can be used for support. Substack is a perfect example! I couldn’t be more impressed with this platform and the users of it. Bad apples can be found anywhere but Substack, per capita, is the best when it comes to quality engagement and contributors. I saw a note recently that said, “Substack is the OnlyFans for people looking to expand their minds.” What an awesome analogy.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” -James Baldwin 

Books are an excellent form of support. The lessons of history and countless examples of people overcoming unimaginable adversity can open your mind and train your spirit. The shared experience of being human is amplified when learning from those who paved the way for our existence today. Enhance your perspective by consuming wisdom from the giants whose shoulders we stand on.