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Episode 59: Build Capacity to Bounce Back

podcast Feb 21, 2023

"It seems like as soon as I tackle one thing and regain a little hope that I’ve got this thing handled, the next thing comes along and throws me for a loop. How do I manage this cycle that keeps getting repeated in my leadership?"

I’m reminded of Jesus who said, “in this world you will have trouble, But take heart, I have overcome the world.” 

He didn’t say there’s gonna be trouble, but don’t worry, you’ll overcome it. 

Instead, he said, “you’ll have trouble, but don’t fret because I’ve overcome the world.” 

So, how does this understanding play out in our resilience – our capacity to handle adversity and the ability to bounce back from it.

BUILDING CAPACITY TO WITHSTAND ADVERSITY

When I think about building capacity I get this image of stretching or expanding to make room for something. 

To create capacity by doing hard things over and over then you are going to have to have some supports in place that make it possible to stay “loose” — or maybe rubbery like a rubber band that can stretch. 

What if our job in building capacity isn’t about doing the right thing, sucking it up and making things work, what if it’s about staying “loose” and flexible and moldable. 

I’m not trying to minimize hard things – they are hard. It’s okay to sit down and grieve a little bit – to get sad or angry and even feel like you’re gonna throw in the towel. 

But, add to that space other people, moments of meditation or music, add in a walk or a run. Noticing that these simple activities move you toward faith. Toward the belief that things will work out. 

BOUNCING BACK FROM ADVERSITY

It would be really hard to bounce back if you don’t feel like you have solid ground to stand on. I think this is where we go back to our “Why” – our purpose and anchor back into that. And sometimes we need other people to remind us of our why – there was a reason we said yes to leadership. That purpose stabilizes the shaky ground.

Remember, rarely does anyone bounce back alone. It’s a together sort of thing. 

It’s a life long journey of stretching and growing in the face of adversity. We don’t have to do it alone. Jesus already did it and we can lean into that confidence and surround ourselves with people who will help us walk through.     

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