Model Strength in Uncertain Times
November 6, 2024
Trees with deep roots are well anchored during harsh conditions such as storms and droughts. They are better able to stand up against strong winds and to pull resources from deep below the surface. Their roots allow them to sustain growth and beauty. You can strengthen your roots, allowing you to be resilient during difficult times. This is particularly important when you sense that trouble is brewing but you are not sure how it will play out.
You feel an urge to DO SOMETHING, and yet the next steps are not clear. Anticipatory anxiety can sap energy, leading to despair and exhaustion. When you are worried but not sure what to do, you can build deep root resilience.
Start with taking care of your immediate needs: voice your thoughts, listen to your emotions, and connect with others who are supportive. Next, build healthy roots for yourself and your community to nourish you in the long run and allow you to better withstand whatever may come. Big trouble requires a community response. By making connections now, you are sinking your roots deeper into nourishing soil that will sustain you. Here are some roots you can tap into:
Be Healthy Together
Long term resilience requires you to be as healthy as you can be. Connect with health care providers and find others looking to build their own well-being. This can be a walking partner, friends at a gym, a master’s swim group, or a support group centered on a diagnosis you are coping with. Cheering one another along allows you to celebrate every little bit of growth.
Getting and staying healthy makes a huge difference in your long-term ability to cope. The science on this is clear – moving your body changes your brain chemistry and improves mental health. Doing it with others improves social connection and increases accountability. Taking time out to work out is not an act of selfishness; it is an act of resilience that increases the strength of you and your community.
Work for Good Together
Check out groups that are making a positive difference and join in. Often there is no need to reinvent the wheel. If there is an organization you have heard of that is doing good work, check it out. Tapping into an alliance that already has strong roots allows you to extend your reach. If you are part of a larger cooperative that is positive, join a committee or find a way to be more deeply involved. Being on a board or volunteering on a regular basis allows you to build relationships with like-minded people. Take time to get to know people a little more. Ask why people do this work so you can learn about them and reinforce your own motivation. Connecting with positive groups brings together the synergy and power of resilient people working together.
Experience Joy Together
Long term resilience requires joy. You need big joy and little joy, things to look forward to. Doing fun stuff with others multiplies joy. Some ways to branch out include: set up a weekly zoom to update one another on craft projects, plan a game night, sign up for a class with a friend, or go listen to a local band. Invite others to join you. The people you laugh with are also the people who can be there for you in hard times. One of the best ways to strengthen relationships is to be silly together. Plan some big and little get togethers to look forward to with family and friends. It can feel selfish to have fun when trouble is brewing, and yet, play brings lightness and energy that is vital.
Deep root resilience is not a solo sport. Connecting with others around your health, making a difference, and having fun build deep connections that nourish and allow you to stand against trouble. Being prepared for the unclear “what if” is scary and unsettling. Knowing that you have people you can turn to makes it more doable. Whether your worry is personal or a larger issue, building deep root resilience benefits you, your community, and all of our futures.
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Peace,
Laura
