My Christmas Blessing #13

What does resilience mean"  The word is a noun; an action word!  It means that one has the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties with toughness!!  That would be me!

I so appreciate this Christmas blessing.  These past months have been difficult in keeping up with homework, housework, employments, and caring for a husband who does not feel well; emotionally and physically!  The mother of childhood friends from Eastern Washington is now living close to us so I am spending alot of time caring for her and her grief as her husband just passed away.  I want to make sure she is safe and well.  Some days, it feels as if life is unfair and difficult.  Other days, the blessings shine through like brilliant stars amongst a dark night.  Much like the dark horse carrying his rider through battle with sword and armor to protect all that matters!!

When something tends to go wrong, do I bounce back or fall apart?   I admit; I have fallen apart and have had to regroup!  When one has resilience, one harnesses inner strength that helps to rebound from setback or challenge such as job loss, a disaster, or the death of a loved one.  If you lack resilience, you might dwell on the problems, feel victimized, become overwhelmed, or turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse.  Resilience will  not make my problems go away, but resilience gives me the ability to see past them, find enjoyment in life, exercise, and better handle life.  I work with my horses, write, read, and other skills to become more resilient.

Resilience is the ability to roll with the punches!  When stress, adversity, or trauma strikes, I still will experience anger, frustration, grief, and pain, but I am able to keep functioning; both physically and psychologically.  I never miss work, I never miss class, my home is neat and clean, and my family well cared for.  However, resilience is not about toughing it out, being stoic, or going it alone.  In fact, being able to reach out to others for support is a key component of being resilient.  This has been a learning experience for me because I am not good at reaching out to others.  I have had incredible family members and friends come forward in love and support.

Resilience can help protect me from various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.  Resilience can also offset factors that increase anxiousness and sadness such as being bullied or trauma from the death of a child.

Resilience improves my ability to cope because ..

I ride the dark horse .. 



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