Bounce Back with Energizing Resilience

Bounce Back with Energizing Resilience

Dr. Gary Epler – I’m excited to share my insights about resilience.

Joan – Let’s dive in. What does resilience mean to you?

Resilience is about bouncing back stronger from setbacks, rejections, and failures. It’s a valuable social skill for success.

That’s an inspiring definition. Why do rejections and failures devastate some people?

People respond to these challenges with unhealthy thinking from the negative primitive brain. These responses limit resilience and block progress.

What are these unhealthy responses?

There’re two responses. First, there’s the egotistical response with anger and blaming others, criticizing, and avoiding accountability. Second, there’s the self-criticism response with feeling sorry for themselves and harmful negative thoughts about themselves.

Can you give examples of egocentric responses?

“They’re ignorant.” “I'm a great person. I don’t deserve this.” “This wouldn’t have happened, if everyone did their job.”

I’ve heard people say these things. It doesn’t help at work and at home. What are examples of self-criticism responses?

“I'm a failure. I'll never be good enough.” “I might as well give up.” These are harmful thoughts that cause stress and take away thinking for finding solutions.

How should people respond to rejections and failures instead?

By thinking from the non-primitive brain locations that include the heart with kindness to yourself, the gut to avoid too much risk, from the body with strength, and from the human frontal lobe brain to connect to the mind, which is the universe outside the body.

What are some practical responses?

Start with being kind to yourself with self-compassion from your heart. You’re a skilled and talented person and will stay committed to excellence in everything you do. Love yourself. Accept the situation and learn something to help you succeed in more complex challenges. Use the mind to create creative and innovative solutions.

How does your physical health impact resilience?

Physical health is crucial. Everyone knows the number one cause. It’s not enough sleep.

Why is sleep so essential for maximizing resilience?

Eight hours of sleep every night are needed for the feelings of kindness from your heart and connecting to the mind for solutions. Sleep is vital for resilience.

What other physical health factors limit resilience?

Unhealthy eating and no exercise can severely limit resilience. A healthy nutrition lifestyle is needed. This is eating the right foods with no added sugar, no added salt, and no processed foods, in the right amount at the right time prepared in a healthy manner. One hour of exercise is needed every day to optimize resilience.

Joan – Healthy eating, eight hours of sleep every night, and one hour of exercise every day will let you bounce back from all types of challenges. Do you have any closing comments?

Dr. Gary Epler – Think from your heart with kindness to yourself. Live in the mind with creativity, courage, and resilience. Resilience leads to accomplishments and success.