Resiliency and Mental Agility

“The stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”

~ Bruce Lee

No matter how much we fight it, life is filled with uncertainty and change. I came across this article and thought it might be of help. How to Get Comfortable With Uncertainty and Change by Kira M. Newman with the Greater Good

Also, the RAIN process has been a life-saver for many, many people. Enjoy more freedom and resilience.

RAIN Process

Recognize the emotion is present. You can pause for a moment and open to

the reality of what is happening. You might gently call it by name . . . ah, there’s

anger . . . or . . . hmmm, anxiety is here.

Allow the emotion to be present as best you can. Experiment with noticing

any struggle to push it away, deny, or control it. As best you can, let go of the

struggle to change the emotion. You might experiment with welcoming the

emotion. If the struggle is quite intense, you might notice and allow the struggle.

Investigate. Bring your attention to the body and notice where you feel the

emotion in the body. You might say to yourself, “This is what anger feels like”.

Gently maintain your attention on the sensations elicited by the emotion. If the

sensations are quite intense, you can move your attention to a place in the body

where you do not feel the emotion and return to where you feel the emotion after

settling yourself a bit. Also, notice related thoughts and patterns related to the

experience. Notice the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling tone and meet it

with mindful attention. Also, notice the story, beliefs, and patterns.

Non-Identify/Nurture. We can stop taking the experience so personally by asking

ourselves, “is this who I really am?” Also, remind yourself that you are not alone

in suffering . . . that suffering is part of being human. We all suffer . . . so you are

not alone. Truly understanding that the experience of suffering is natural for all

beings can help us feel less alone and more connected. Also, when we choose to

focus on the body, the story and drama in the mind are minimized, and we can

begin to let the emotion move through us instead of getting caught up in the

story. Bring compassion to yourself and your experience

With each part of this process, practice gentleness, and patience.

This process is attributed to Michelle McDonald Smith