People are currently exposed to a multitude of stressful situations on a daily basis, whether work-related, financial-related, or simply due to everyday life. Although these are situations we've grown accustomed to, to a greater or lesser extent, each person will respond differently depending on their abilities and the tools at their disposal.
But what happens when a situation overwhelms us? We run the risk of becoming blocked and carried away by events, without offering the capacity to respond. This is where, for some time now, awareness has been growing in society's training on emergencies and disasters to develop the capacity for social or community resilience. We can apply this concept to a smaller group, within our family or immediate group, by applying "community resilience."
What is resilience?
Without going into complicated definitions, we can say that resilience is the ability of an individual or group to adapt to critical moments, catastrophes, or emergencies and overcome them through positive thinking, attitude, and preparation.
A resilient person is not born, he or she is made!!!
There are people who, in an emergency, let go (may God decide) and others who adapt, fight, struggle, and prevail.
How can we increase our resilience in an emergency?
- We must be aware of our capabilities and limitations; self-awareness is our greatest tool in the event of an emergency or disaster. We must set goals and objectives within our reach, taking into account the materials and knowledge available to us.
- Be creative. One person's trash is another person's treasure. Anything can be used as a survival item. Nails can be sharpened, ropes can be turned into fishing nets, a plastic bottle and a hose can be used as a seawater desalinator. Anything goes.
- Although having the materials and being prepared, it will be the best option.
- Trust in our abilities and have absolute confidence that we will succeed. We must never lose sight of our goal, which is to survive. Individuality has no place; teamwork is essential. A cathedral is taller the more buttresses it has and the more strength it shares.
- Difficulties are an opportunity to learn and grow. We never learn from a simple victory, but rather from that fight that cost us so much and that we lost. Quick and easy victories make us comfortable; hard fights teach us how not to fail.
- Be optimistic. We must face emergencies or catastrophes with optimism and conviction, have positive thoughts, and achieve our small victories every day. In a group, maintain high morale and avoid negative thoughts or defeatist attitudes.
- Being flexible in the face of change, a resilient person, even with a perfectly laid out plan, knows how to adapt to changes and turn 180º if the situation requires it, as our colleague from Northvivor says, never fall in love with an idea or a plan, since there are times when you will have to adapt and change to survive.
Although we could explain some more points, we do not intend to go into detail in this article.
In conclusion, we can conclude that in these challenging times we've been through, resilience is a skill we must also cultivate. We must keep in mind that not so long ago, what's happening in the world today seemed unthinkable.
Prepare for the unthinkable, because everyone prepares for the normal.
