Choosing Resilience

I noticed today what it takes for me to be thrown off my balance. 

And after about ninety minutes of having a reaction, I'm sitting back and noticing what there is to notice.

Redirection. It's a beautiful thing. 

Booting the catastrophic thoughts. Necessary for my mental health. And for yours, by the way.

Self-compassion and being my own compassionate witness. A powerful tool for supporting the self. 

I wanted to write today about what a beautiful day I've been having and what's made it a beautiful day. The power of a reset. I set aside the morning to regain my equilibrium after several days of overworking. And it was such a beneficial move. If I'd written in the morning, that would have been the post. 

Note to self: write when the spirit moves you. Don't save it for later.

As I'm writing now, I realize that the only thing that can throw me off my center is my own reactions. It's such a powerful insight that I learn again and again and again. And it's interesting to notice how easily our thoughts can go to the worst possible conclusions. I think that happens because we like to be in control, and we figure that if we can take ourselves to the worst place, and if that worst place should be the outcome of whatever is going on, we'll be ready for it.

I'm not sure we're ever ready for the worst, even if we think we are prepared.

I think. I think. I think that catastrophic thinking simply gives us an unneeded and harmful rush of stress hormones that wreak havoc with our body, mind, emotions, and spirit.

So as I sit here at the keyboard, before the once-blank screen reflecting on my reaction in the cool light of the next moment, I think...I think...I think I am going to choose the reset.

I notice the body symptoms have calmed. I am laughing at myself. And I'm even enjoying the wink of the Trickster as he moves off until another time. 

Resilience. 

Elasticity. Pliability. Suppleness. Plasticity. Spring. Give. Flexibility. Durability. Strength. Sturdiness. Toughness. Hardiness. Adaptability. Buoyancy. Strength of character. Ability to bounce back. Ability to last. 

The capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress.

And there is more. That is only some of what Merriam-Webster has to say.

I love noticing that resilience is an ability. 

The ability to be pliable. The ability to be flexible. The ability to be durable. The ability to be adaptable. The ability to bounce back. The ability to last. Of course, some of these have being able built right into the substance of what they are.

Able.

Having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something.

I must stop with the word study. It can go on and on and on, taking me to deeper and deeper understandings, connections, and insights. 

I especially love noticing that there is an inner power that restores us from the pressure of an outside force. 

I think that's the crux of it.

There is an inner power that restores us from the pressure of an outside force.

And it's ours. Part of the substance of who we are. 

The Summer of Self-Love is a daily writing practice created to cultivate three months for thriving. The goal at the end is to host a dinner party. Sounds like an odd Hero's Journey, doesn't it? Most of them usually are.