Resilience: Finding Something to Look Forward To
A coach ramble on resilience! So, my wife has taught me many lessons, and one of my favorite ones is the concept of “something to look forward to.” She taught me that it’s a lot easier to get through long winter days, periods of not having much going on, or tough times when there’s something to look forward to.
The Power of Anticipation
That “something” doesn’t have to be huge. It doesn’t have to be a trip to Disneyland or a vacation to Mexico. It can be something small. It could be a date night, a baseball game, a movie, a family outing, a hike, or even camping—though she might not look forward to that last one as much. The point is to have something on the calendar that, even during long, boring, cold, tough times, you know is coming and can look forward to.
My Challenge to You
So, my challenge for you this summer, if you haven’t already, is to create some moments—some things to look forward to. Because what it brings up in you is resilience. It brings up the strength to get through the things you must get through. Like when you’re about to go on vacation at work, it’s amazing how much you get done in the days leading up to your last. That’s kind of where I’m at right now…
A Personal Example
This blog also serves as my out-of-office notice. I will be out of the office between June 19th and June 24th and will not be posting on social media. Why? Because I have something to look forward to, something I’ve looked forward to every year for the last 20 years—a camping trip with good friends. We play golf and disc golf, sometimes shoot guns, go fishing, play horseshoes, barbecue, play poker, and there might be a beer or two along the way.
This is what I’ve been looking forward to, and I’m amazed at how much I’ve gotten done over the last 48 hours in preparation for this trip. It brings up this resilience in me to get things done by having something to look forward to.
Your Summer Calendar
Back to my challenge: look at your calendar this summer (or winter, or spring, or fall). See if there’s anything on there that you’re looking forward to. If there’s not, add something. Add a ballgame, a camping trip, a date night—just add something. If you already have a bunch of stuff planned, put in a couple more things. Not to make it so busy you can’t enjoy the quiet and peace in between, but to find that resilience. Find that ability to get more done than you normally would and to do it with a smile on your face because you know what’s coming.
I wish you well. I hope you have things to look forward to. If not, make some..
Thanks for reading.
Doug, The CPA Coach
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