Nurturing Resilience

    We all encounter both expected and unexpected transitions in our personal and work lives. However, those who are resilient are better able to navigate change, bounce back from disappointments, and welcome new opportunities. They persevere during difficult times and have a positive outlook even when experiencing trials and tribulations.

    Resiliency is a trait or personal characteristic that you can nurture. In Making Sense of Life’s Transitions, William Bridges wrote,

“There are ways of facilitating transitions, and they begin with recognizing that letting go is at best an ambiguous experience…. They involve developing new skills for negotiating the perilous passage across the ‘nowhere’ that separates the old life situation from the new.”

    In a nutshell, successful transitions require both practical strategies and emotional fortitude. Therefore, because nearly all of life’s transitions have a financial tether, it is important to also consider how you can nurture your financial resilience.

    From a practical standpoint, financial resilience requires a foundation of basic financial knowledge and a strategy for building financial security. However, financial resilience also requires emotional strength. This is achieved by identifying your fears and behaviors with regard to money, and by working to understand and overcome the underlying issues.

    A review of your money history will give you tremendous insight into the money messages that consciously and unconsciously influence how you deal with money issues on a day-to-day basis. These revelations are not intended to give you the opportunity to place blame, but rather to help you recognize some potential obstacles to your financial resilience. Remember, recognition is the first step to change!

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