Last Updated on May 26, 2022 by eidesk
I often contribute to my local radio station’s “The Thought That Counts” slots, which are broadcast on the Breakfast Show and The Lunchtime Show over a period of a week. Each broadcast lasts about 90 seconds. My contributions are all based around some aspects of emotional intelligence. During the pandemic, I’ve concentrated on aspects of resilience and delivered these without reference to the situation allowing people to interpret them in whatever way suits them. I’ve put my contributions together as hints and tips in this podcast. On this occasion, my reflections explore when resilience is needed – Ambiguity and Uncertainty, Limited Challenges, Overcoming Barriers, Overcoming Fears, and Taking Risks. I hope that you enjoy the podcast and these “The Thought That Counts”. The Thought That Counts.
Remember the maze challenge in one of the Harry Potter books and films where there was a great trophy in the middle of a vast maze. The ultimate goal may be clear, but the way ahead is set with a number of different challenges that are unknown. In a maze, there will be many changes of direction with many turns, and even the need to reverse direction and go backwards at times. The goal is worth the effort, but it’s unclear how long it will take to achieve this the nature of the way forward is uncertain. Once the goal is achieved, there may be further uncertainty of the way ahead, as the challenge of the maze continues to hide the way out. When resilience is needed, how do you cope with ambiguity and uncertainty? How comfortable do you feel with not knowing exactly what lies ahead? How do you make decisions in terms of uncertainty? Within the maze of opportunities, how are you going to make choices about what route to follow? What will guide your decision about the right way to turn? What will you do if you appear to be moving further away from your goal? How will you respond to retracing your steps and going over old ground? What happens once you’ve achieved your goal? How are you going to get out of the maze? How clear are you about the challenges moving forward once you’ve achieved what you aim to do? There is nothing certain but the uncertain.
The Thought That Counts. Often we can feel that we’re ascending or descending a never ending staircase that goes round and round in circles. that means that we’re going nowhere fast. It’s like being on a treadmill. We go through the motions moving forward, but we’re not making any progress. There appears to be no escape. It doesn’t matter if we go up or down the staircase as the situation doesn’t change over time. Over time, this can lead to boredom or frustration through lack of challenge. When resilience is needed, how do you deal with the situations that we find ourselves in that are very routine? How well does the system lend itself to change? How can you improve your experience within your current situation? How aware are others of your feelings in this situation? What support can they offer you? How do you react when there’s a need for change? What opportunities are there for creativity, innovation and doing things in new ways? How can you put your existing skills and experience to use? What opportunities are there for self development and growth? How can you bring more fun and excitement into your life? Don’t limit your challenges. challenge your limits.
The Thought That Counts. Sometimes despite your willingness to make progress, you can often find yourself up against a series of external obstacles that appear to be insurmountable and are beyond your control. It’s difficult to understand why they’re there. There are many rivers to cross or many mountains to climb, and at times, it’s like banging your head against a brick wall. This excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules can hinder or prevent action or decision making. When resilience is needed, how do you deal with the barriers that get in the way of you making progress? How real are these barriers? What’s your reaction to these barriers? How can you plan for these barriers and prevent them from causing delays? What do you need to do to overcome these barriers? Maybe some delays necessary.
Often, it seems like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. What makes you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall? What causes you to become frustrated? How do you react to banging your head against a brick wall for a long period of time? What other ways are there of dealing with barriers? How can innovation and creativity help you? What innovative ways can you think of to deal positively with these barriers? Where the loser sees barriers, the winner sees hurdles. The Thought That Counts. With a roller coaster ride or a bungee jump, people face a major personal challenge that may require them to overcome their fears. The risk is perceived rather than actual as the activity has been assessed, safety checked and proven. However, many people tell themselves and others that they just can’t do it, so there’s a mental barrier to overcome. Once achieved, there’s a sense of exhilaration and achievement and people enjoy the ride. Often life is like a roller coaster ride or jump into the unknown – a leap of faith. When resilience is needed, how do you overcome internal fears that prevent you from doing something? What helps you overcome these fears? What do you do to improve your confidence? How do you minimise the risks? What kind of coping mechanisms do you put in place to help in these situations? What happens when you try something despite your fears? What is your reaction to not trying something? How do others react? How much persuasion is required for you to try something that you fear? How can you harness the energy and excitement that you get from completing any kind of daunting task? It’s okay to be scared, being scared, making sure about to do something really, really brave.
The Thought That Counts. Living and working in situations where outcomes are unknown involves taking personal risks. Unprotected people often enter into toxic environments. They’re aware of the risks to themselves, even though they don’t know the long term effects of this action. There’s a willingness and a professionalism to continue despite the dangers or risks involved. There’s an element of fear that this is suppressed in order that the best quality service can be delivered. When resilience is needed, how aware are you of risks? How do you assess risk? What choices are you making when you’re aware of the risks? How do you manage your exposure to risk? How do you maintain interest and focus when you’re uncertain of the risks to yourself? How do you maintain the expectations of you made by others in the face of risk? What happens if you succumb to these risks? How are quality standards maintained? How do you support others taking similar risks? What support do you give each other? How can this be improved? Where does the responsibility for managing risk lie? All of life is the management of risk. It’s not elimination. I’m Robin Hills from Ei4Change, Empowering your Emotional Management. The Thought That Counts.
