What is your bounce back and why is it important to build? Your bounce back is your ability to take life’s lemons and quickly turn it into lemonade. It’s the ability to get knocked down and get right back up. It is a crucial skill to develop because no one gets through life with out some kind of challenge, set back , or failure. The greater the bounce back the greater chance of success in life.
In the words of Rosalind Russel “Flops are a part of life’s menu and I’ve never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses.” How was Rosalind able to devour life so ravenously? She had confidence in her bounce back ability. She had the tools to deal with what life plated her.
You too can develop your bounce back ability. I will wet your appetite with 4 key practices you can gobble up right now!
- Use hopeful statements. Don’t drive down to negative town. Choose your thoughts wisely for pessimism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. I recently has a student in my fitness class say, “I am just not flexible.” I said, “Add yet to that sentence.” Adding yet makes that statement hopeful and adds a whole new level of possibility. “I am just not flexible, yet.” I responded with, “Ok so lets start stretching. EVERYDAY!”
- Forgive yourself. No human came into the world a perfect flawless specimen. (Not even Brad Pitt or Charlize Theron) Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes aren’t permanent reflections of who you are as a person. They’re isolated moments in time that if viewed productively can elicit learning and growth. Tell yourself, “I may have failed that test but I am not a failure.” “I may have lost at that game but I am not a loser.”
- Focus on the good. Think about the good parts of your life and practice gratitude. Remind yourself of things that have gone well recently and think of the things that make you smile. If you find this challenging then grab a pen and paper and create a list. Writing things down will help shift you from your emotional brain center to your frontal cortex allowing you to open your mind to all that is positive in your world.
- Relabel upsetting thoughts. Fear, anger, and sadness are signals asking ones self to assess current situations. You don’t need to react negatively to negative thoughts. Instead, invite them in and observe what they are there to show you. Maybe its asking you to try a new healthy way of being. Maybe its showing you what really matters to you. Maybe its asking you to look at something in a new way. Ask yourself, “What would my best self want for me at this moment? or “How would my life change for the better if I let go of this negative thought?”
These are just a few delicious bounce back building practices you can start to implement right now. As Confucius wisely said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
Bon Appetite!