Have recent times made you realise how resilient you are, or that your resilience is glaringly lacking? Life as an employer is never easy and it might feel like you’re never far away from a big change or the next crisis. But the good news is that if you’re not the most resilient person, you can work on it. One big benefit of developing resilience is that it improves your mindset. This doesn’t mean that you become immune to challenges, you’ll just be able to navigate them far better. And maybe even come out of them stronger.
How is your mindset?
One of the most important factors in developing resilience is having the right mindset. How is your mindset?
The fixed mindset
If you have a fixed mindset, you believe that things don’t change. For example ‘I’m rubbish with technology so I’ll always be.” With this type of mindset, people fall into two camps. They either think that they will never be good at x, y, or z so they don’t try to improve things. Or on the other hand, they may think that they are the best thing since sliced bread so they don’t take well to failure or criticism.
As you can imagine, a fixed mindset can be a roadblock to developing resilience. If you refuse to change, don’t try to improve things, or refuse to accept constructive criticism or direction you’ll stay stuck.
The growth mindset
When it comes to developing resilience, you should aim to cultivate a growth mindset. This is not about positive thinking and hoping for the best. It’s about welcoming challenges and using them as an opportunity to learn and improve. It’s about believing that no matter what is blocking your path, there is always a way around it and you can emerge stronger.
What if your apparent failures to date were just stepping stones to something better? What if your setbacks were not a rejection, but a redirection?
How much better would things feel if you developed a mindset that looked at things like this? Where you believed that good can come out of even the most seemingly bleak of situations rather than believing things are rubbish now and they’ll never change.
3 ways to improve your mindset
There are countless articles online about improving your mindset. Stand in front of the mirror and recite affirmations. Think positively. You know the ones. But I’ve been where you are and I’ve felt the pressure of the day to day and how it can really get you down. I know it’s not easy. That’s why I want to share 3 ways you can improve your mindset and start developing your resilience today.
Start the day right
Before you rush headfirst into the day, create a good morning routine to get you off on the right foot. Think about what this might look like for you. Is it a morning walk? Or just some quiet time? Savour a cup of coffee (or some herbal tea!) and take a few deep breaths. Look at your to-do list and decide which task you are going to focus on today. Remember that you can’t do everything, it’s the small steps that will lead you to your bigger goals. Small goals for the day will feel more manageable. Make a flexible plan for the day and try to stick to it. Oh, and don’t beat yourself up about it if you don’t.
Be aware of what you’re letting into your mind
When it comes to developing resilience and improving your mindset, watching your mind is so important. Don’t expect to feel great if you start each day by reading depressing news headlines, or getting drawn into disagreements on social media. It doesn’t mean that you should stop being informed, just be aware of what you are filling your mind with. Try reading (or listening to) positive or inspirational things that are going to improve your life in some way.
Be grateful
People forget about the importance of gratitude, but it really can help you develop your resilience. Because the brain is geared towards focusing on the negative, trying to stay positive can feel difficult. But give it a go. Get into the habit of regularly writing down what you are grateful for. Do you have a supportive partner who understands why you have to work long hours? Do your team often go the extra mile for you? It’s easy to forget the wins, but making time to remember them can do wonders for your outlook on work and life.
Resilience and Mindset is just one area I cover in My Success with Employees membership. It’s an affordable and no fluff membership that I created for small employers just like you.
Want to make life as an employer less ‘bleurgh’ and more ‘yay!’? Find out more and sign up here
Want to discover more about building your resilience then this podcast will help you cope with colleagues who create stress.
And want to know more about developing a positive mindset, then read this blog here.
