How to Stay Strong in Uncertain Times

We’re living in turbulent times right now – there’s no denying it…

But learning to stay strong and resilient is really important.

Any challenges we face are a chance to test ourselves, after all – and build courage, strength and hope. Even when we don’t recognise that. It’s worth remembering the Chinese word for crisis ‘wei ji’ literally means ‘danger and hidden opportunity’. And that’s definitely worth thinking about…

What challenges are you facing?

Your own challenges could be in business, at home – or just with the changing world itself.  But whatever they are, there are ways to respond to them – if you plan and find ways to deal with them positively.

How do you build resilience?

Let’s take work related resilience first – and the best way to make sure an organisation stays strong.  That happens when there are good plans in place – which look ahead – and maintain business continuity.

What is business continuity?

Business continuity is all about holding accurate information  – anticipating issues – and identifying solutions.  So your business keeps running effectively – whatever the world throws at you.  To illustrate this – let’s take an example we can all recognise – the challenge of a changing climate.

How does the weather affect business?

Many industries are affected by the weather – and its changing pattern is an issue that’s hitting the headlines.

Which businesses are affected?

If you’re in hospitality, event planning, construction or food production, the climate could have a huge effect on your business. And virtually all sectors are affected by the impact of weather fluctuations on the supply chain.

How would you build business resilience?

So how could you make sure your company is resilient – and able to deal with these issues most effectively? 

The importance of planning

Firstly, by having a business continuity plan in place (you can apply these tips to your personal life too, but we’ll return to that later).

What would you include?

Let’s look at staffing levels – and how you’d balance those alongside business demand.. Think about how your business would be affected by a heatwave or storm for example  – you’d need to be ready. Even more moderate switches in temperature or conditions would impact you. Would you need more staff or less, to begin with? Where would you source extra help if you needed it?

The right information is key

The key to responding successfully to challenges is having the right information at your fingertips.  It’s why a design-build process for churches nationwide can only be prepared with accurate measurements and details. It’s why knowing the ingredients to a dish is crucial before you start to cook it. It’s why planning is vital at every step of your personal and business life. 

Imagine, in this scenario,you own a manufacturing company and decide to shut down because of inaccurate storm warnings. Your profits would suffer, wouldn’t they – and your staff would too, if you had to close down. So you’d need to be sure you got access to the best possible weather forecasts.

Your employees would also have to be kept safe from the effects of extreme weather,  And you’d need to ensure the conditions they work in are temperature appropriate.

How weather would affect your pricing

If you run a sandwich shop and hot weather caused drought conditions, the price of lettuce could climb.  And the potential for severe changes in climate on your supply chain would also need to be factored in. A drought in Brazil, for example, and a knock on effect on the country’s coffee crop could cause prices to sky-rocket.

Taking a practical response

Whatever business you’re in, you need to take an appropriate practical response to any problems. If you run a small florist, and the weather affects storage, for example. you might need to look at improving your cooling facilities. 

These are all examples of a particular challenge, potential impacts and why resilience is so important. But if you’re well informed and carry out good forward planning you can get ahead of any situation.  That advice is also important in your personal and family life – so now let’s look at how to build personal resilience.

Personal Resilience

You can stay personally resilient by looking after your physical health and having sound financial plans in place.

You could also:think about how to:

Build support networks 

Make sure you know your neighbors and join community watches or church groups to create a network of connections. This will mean that you – and your community – build the bonds necessary to support each other.  Which is really important if a crisis hits.

Be prepared

Get involved in your community’s safety preparedness planning activities and talk to your local school about theirs. Then you will know what to do if an emergency did ever occur – that’s good forward planning. And familiarize yourself with your workplace’s emergency planning protocols too.  Think about what a home-based plan would look like for you and your family – if you need advice, the Red Cross can help you.

Take control

A sense of personal strength is key to resilience. So take control of the things you can and find ways to let go of those you cannot. It’s a great lesson to learn – and can be applied to any personal or business situation. Losing a job, for example, is sometimes outside your control – but having in plan in place, in case this happens, is not.

Be courageous

Finding small ways to be brave can help you gain control – remember the phrase ‘feel the fear… do it anyway’.  Start by taking small actions to build up your courage. Maybe donate blood, or go and speak at a local meeting. Even tackling difficult household tasks can help you to stop feeling fearful. 

Help others in need

If you do feel stressed, why not use your energy to help others in need? Volunteer work is a great way to do this.  It makes you focus externally, rather than internally – puts situations into perspective and builds confidence.

Enjoy activities and hobbies

Also try to focus on activities and hobbies that give you a sense of hope, fun and security.This limits the exposure you have to coverage of worrying world events. It focuses your mind on what’s right in front of you – and you’ll enjoy it.

Think about inspiring people

There are so many people who have inspired others in the world – so when you feel troubled, remind yourself of them.  Research figures like Mayor Fiorello Laguardia or Maya Angelou. for example – maybe Martin Luther King.  And take something from their own resilience in difficult times that gives you hope – and strength.

Be humorous

Laughter is said to be the best medicine. It’s certainly one way to take the focus off the negative aspects of uncertainty.  So try to find humour in any situation – even if it’s just in the small stuff. ~ it will help get things in perspective and give your life more balance..

Some other examples of healthy ways to strengthen your resilience are:

• Going to stress management classes like yoga
• Playing on athletic or recreation teams
• Listening to music you enjoy or going dancing
• Planting and tending your own garden or a community garden
• Keeping a journal, especially around anniversary dates
• Attending self-help and support groups
• Visiting elderly community residents who may need to be checked in on

Take a few minutes yourself to think about the best ways to strengthen your coping mechanisms and strategies. Jot your ideas down – but don’t overthink it – then consider taking action on them.  One by one…

We hope this post has given some things to think about, and a better understanding of what is meant by resilience.  There are ways we can all respond positively to the uncertain times we live in. And stay strong in the face of any challenge.