Building resilience means accepting failure as a necessary part of life. If you never make a mistake, you can’t grow because you won’t learn something new. Everyone fails. It’s part of human nature. We’re built to experience failures in order to continue to increase self-awareness.
Gentle reminders, or affirmations, that you are on the right path will keep you going even when you simply want to give up. Learning to appreciate failure for the lessons learned is one way to incorporate these affirmations into everyday living. Remember this:
Failure is a necessary part of life.
It means that you are trying.
If you never fail, you cannot grow.
Failure contributes to successful problem-solving.
Every time you fail, you get one step closer to your goal.
Try employing mindfulness when you notice you’re entertaining toxic thought patterns, using ‘identify, label and replace’ method. For example, find a few quiet moments alone to really focus on what you are feeling. If you are tired, anxious, overburdened, write these emotions down. Figure out how each resonates with you. When you’re tired, you probably want nothing more than to rest. Replace ‘tired’ with ‘run down’. The remedy? A little R&R. Practice some self-care and allow yourself to refuel.
Journal about what you’ve learned and how you will go about things differently next time. However, you’ll want to avoid writing about what you would have done differently. Instead, keep the focus on moving forward in spite of this obstacle and what it’s taught you. How will it allow you to grow and become more resilient? You might want to journal about potential solutions should you face a setback like this in the future, as well, so you have a list to reference whenever needed.
Self-reassurance that every setback is only temporary is also important. It’s a reminder that you have the power shape the future. Assure yourself “this too shall pass.” And, even though the past cannot be undone, and the future is largely undetermined, the emotional obstacles you are facing right now will not be evident forever. There are still many blessings to be enjoyed in the days, months, and years to come. Focus on this fact and keep pushing forward with unfaltering determination.