Message from Our Staff: Building resilience – reframing and connecting

It's not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you. – Zig Ziglar

Last year, I shared an article titled “Finding Happiness Around You”. This was against the backdrop of chaos and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 situation where many were grappling with the emotional, financial and physical toll on our well-being. The important question on everyone’s mind was “How do I find happiness amid all the doom and gloom?” 

Since then, things have changed as we transitioned from pandemic to endemic. Travelling is mostly back to normal and employees are heading physically back to work. However, 2022 remains a challenging year; albeit the stressors were different from 2021. At the macro level, we are confronted with the ongoing war in Ukraine, spikes in energy prices, supply chain disruptions, higher inflation and interest rate hikes that we had not experienced for at least a decade. Emerging trends such as quiet quitting, hybrid working arrangements, mental health challenges, and layoffs within the high-growth tech sectors were some of the top concerns among employees and managers. With a rapidly changing landscape, it is important for each and every one of us to build resilience – not just to bounce back from misfortune or change; but to forge forward.

What is resilience?

According to the Oxford dictionary, resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Being resilient does not mean one does not experience pain, emotional upheaval and suffering. Rather, it is the ability to withstand adversity, cope with the prevailing misfortune or change and coming back stronger and better. Yes, resilience can assist individuals in their growth and development. This is in part because the individual would have learnt how to deal with specific situations and is better prepared to deal with the next. Take the analogy of building muscles – by going to the gym every day to lift weights, your muscles will grow as you exercise more. What is equally important is the emotional resilience that one needs to build to cope with various emotional upheavals such as anger, humiliation, anxiety etc. 

Why resilience is important

Let me share with you the story of a donkey and its farmer. The donkey fell into the well and the farmer decided that it was better to bury the donkey. The farmer then got his neighbors to help by grabbing shovels and throwing dirt into the well. Initially, the donkey cried horribly as he realised he was being buried alive. Subsequently, the donkey quieted down. As the farmer looked down the well, he was astonished to see that with each shovel of dirt that hit the donkey’s back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up on the new pile of dirt. Soon, the donkey managed to step over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!    

What is the moral of the story? Life is going to shovel dirt at us and even possibly bury us. The trick to getting out of the well (or adverse situation) is to shake it off and take a step up. We can get out of the well only when we never give up, shake off the dirt, and use the adverse situation or trouble as a stepping stone to get better and stronger.

An example at work is the manager of a small team. The team encountered high attrition and productivity was also affected by the employees’ absences due to COVID. The manager had missed a project deadline and quarterly results were poor. A less resilient manager may succumb to pressure and “catastrophise” the situation and even potentially engage in a blame game. A resilient manager will lead the way the team members respond to and manage the stress by recalibrating their goals, providing additional resources and seeing the challenge as an opportunity to bring in new talents. 

How to build resilience

Reframing

First and foremost, we need to reframe the situation that had happened. Cognitive appraisal is the way in which we view an event or situation, including its meaning and what is required to overcome it. When we frame the adverse situation as a hindrance or threat, we perceive the situation as out of our control and develop a fight-or-flight response that may worsen the situation. 

On the other hand, when we frame the adverse situation as a challenge rather than a hindrance, we recognise the possibility of intervention and growth. We can identify the resources needed to deal with that situation and mobilise people for action and problem-solving. The donkey who was to be “buried alive” was able to shake off the dirt and step on it to get out. Reframing helps to strengthen our mindset and shift our locus of control from external to internal where we believe we have better control over the outcomes instead of blaming external forces for the circumstances.

Connecting 

Connecting with your own emotions and practising self-care is an important aspect of building resilience. Things appear more challenging and difficult when you are exhausted, depressed, or anxious. Learning to practise mindfulness and paying attention to self-care and well-being helps one to stay positive and build a reservoir of energy to deal with challenges.

Staying connected with one’s social support network is another key resilience factor. Our friends, colleagues and peers serve as a good social support network that provides the needed buffer against day-to-day stressors and often, we may need to rely on them to solve challenges and talk through opportunities.

LKCMedicine Cares for you

LKCMedicine Cares is a brand-new programme that we have rolled out focused on employees’ mental health, physical wellness, and social well-being. The programme consists of self-improvement activities like mental wellness talks and coffee chats, as well as fun and exciting activities such as yoga classes and candle-making. Through these activities, we hope to build a supportive network and provide resources for our employee’s well-being.

As the year ends, I am appreciative of everyone’s journey with the organisation this year. Your resilience to face the challenges and stresses around you is truly remarkable. But let us not forget those around us who struggle and face difficulties in doing so. We must continue to provide a supportive and uplifting environment for our colleagues, and with that, I look forward to your engagement in the LKCMedicine Cares programme. 

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.