Take a deep breath, then read this statement with you as the “I” in it. From 1-5, how do you respond? (1 = not at all, I never feel this way; 5 = yes, I feel this way all the time)

I am strong. I have the ability to not only weather storms but to be resilient in the face of them. I am capable and ready to be challenged. I’ve got this.

Now ask yourself – why did you rate yourself what you did?

This exercise comes from my resiliency workshops. Every time I guide leaders through it, a hush falls in the room as people make discoveries about themselves.

At the core of this exercise is self-awareness, using the tool of mindfulness, which I define as awareness without judgement. Self-discovery through mindfulness can bring up things about ourselves we don’t like. If you can breathe and stay present to what’s arising, you open up limitless possibilities for personal growth.

What is resiliency?

Resiliency is often defined as the ability to overcome adversity. But it’s more than that. Resiliency is the ability to navigate challenge while being who you are. What do I mean by that? Think of a time you overcame something hard. You made it onto the other side. Did you feel proud or inspired? Did you get angry or say or do things you didn’t mean?

Over time, your habits, perceptions, and judgements can either make you stronger or they can weaken you. When we feel strong, we can do things beyond our perceived limitations. Things like courage and vulnerability become possible. We stand up for things and people, ourselves. All this is possible when we feel strong.

Here’s three mindfulness-based practices to help you get strong.

Three practices to build your resilience

1. Notice 
Building resiliency begins here. Start a daily practice of noticing when you feel strong and when you feel weak. Pause and see what you discover with as little judgement as you can. 

2. Ask
Once a week, pause and reflect on these questions. Then journal your responses.
When do you feel strong?
What are you capable of when you’re strong?
How do you know when you’re in your strengths?

After five journal entries, look back on your answers. What patterns do you see?

3. Discover
This is one of my go-to practices for my clients looking to develop their inner strength. Once a day write down three things you are strong at using this format:

I am strong at…
I am strong at…
I am strong at…

Remember this on your journey to self-discovery: the moment you’re aware, you’ve already changed what happens next.