Resilience Series Lesson Four – Growth Beyond Adversity (continued)

Life is full of surprises! By now, I have realized that during uncertainty, losses, and failures, I have
somehow been able to keep moving forward by living a life of meaning and purpose. For me, it was in
the recovery from adversity that I realized I had a choice to make. I could remain angry, bitter, and
resentful or I could choose to live a life of joy and satisfaction. It was clearly up to me.

On my journey, I marvel at the ability of humanity to bounce back beyond recovery. The ability to
choose how we respond to circumstances is a gift. It requires something from us. It gives us an
opportunity to see what we are made of.

Choosing Your First Response to Adversity

After a season of adversity, I am aware of the joy I live in. I will be honest there are some of my choices
that have been filled with regret, however, I am able to forgive myself with self-compassion. Usually, my
first response to adversity is to let myself feel the emotion, followed by the choice of how to respond to
the emotion, and then create a strategy that propels me forward. Most generally, my strategy includes
sharing the story with a trusted friend, allowing them to share their insights and compassion, setting
time aside to journal about the disruption and to offer a prayer to God seeking wisdom and guidance.
Each disruption or adversity requires a customized response from me.

In a world filled with the chaos of adversity, how do you respond when you are disrupted by adversity?

The Value of Choosing Intentional Resilience Building

When we are equipped to deal with the stress and life’s pressures, we are less likely to experience
depression, anxiety, substance abuse, anger and other negative emotions and feelings of overwhelm.
We are also more consistent in our relationships and predictable in our responses to those around us.
We are more likely to enjoy people. When we believe our life has meaning and a sense of purpose, it
helps us to live with resilience.

The following exercise is provided as a tool to help you identify your life’s purpose. It is a foundational
exercise as you intentionally build your resilience.

RESILIENCE BUILDING EXERCISE – Discovering your SENSE OF PURPOSE

Understanding what gives your life purpose is at the heart of resilience. What gives your life meaning?
You are not the only one asking this question, there are millions of searches daily on the internet to help
people discover their purpose. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you begin this journey of
discovery.
How would you summarize your current sense of meaning and purpose in your life?
How fulfilling is your life as it is today?
What are your unique attributes?
What are your talents?
What activities cause you to experience thriving and fulfillment?
Do you feel you have a reason to get up in the morning?
How often do you do something that is meaningful to you?
Are their others in your life that depend on you? How does that make you feel?
Do you feel your work contributes to a cause that is meaningful or makes the world a better place?
When and where in your life do you feel dead or unmotivated?

If you would like some help discovering your life’s meaning and purpose, feel free to reach out to me at
kim.specker@raretransformation.com