Psychological Resilience Enhancement

In 2008, Michael Phelps won Olympic GOLD - completely blind. The moment he dove in, his goggles filled with water. But he kept swimming. Most swimmers would’ve fallen apart. Phelps didn’t - because he had trained for chaos, hundreds of times. His coach, Bob Bowman, would break his goggles, remove clocks, exhaust him deliberately. Why? Because when you train under stress, performance becomes instinct. Psychologists call this stress inoculation. When you expose yourself to small, manageable stress: - Your amygdala (fear centre) becomes less reactive. - Your prefrontal cortex (logic centre) stays calmer under pressure. Phelps had rehearsed swimming blind so often that it felt normal. He knew the stroke count. He hit the wall without seeing it. And won GOLD by 0.01 seconds. The same science is why: - Navy SEALs tie their hands and practice underwater survival. - Astronauts simulate system failures in zero gravity. - Emergency responders train inside burning buildings. And you can build it too. Here’s how: ✅ Expose yourself to small discomforts. Take cold showers. Wake up 30 minutes earlier. Speak up in meetings. The goal is to build confidence that you can handle hard things. ✅ Use quick stress resets. Try cyclic sighing: Inhale deeply through your nose. Take a second small inhale. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat 3-5 times to calm your system fast. ✅ Strengthen emotional endurance. Instead of avoiding difficult conversations, hard tasks, or feedback - lean into them. Facing small emotional challenges trains you for bigger ones later. ✅ Celebrate small victories. Every time you stay calm, adapt, or keep going under pressure - recognise it. These tiny wins are building your mental "muscle memory" for resilience. As a new parent, I know my son Krish will face his own "goggles-filled-with-water" moments someday. So the best I can do is model resilience myself. Because resilience isn’t gifted - it’s trained. And when you train your brain for chaos, you can survive anything. So I hope you do the same. If this made you pause, feel free to repost and share the thought. #healthandwellness #mentalhealth #stress

Be nice to yourself. Your internal dialogue speaks before you do, shaping confidence, performance, and resilience. Ignore it and it will amplify stress. Train it and it becomes your personal coach. Why it matters: - Distanced self-talk (using your own name or “you”) quiets the emotional centers of the brain and boosts self-control. - Self-affirmations light up the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, making your brain more receptive to change and healthier. - Self-compassion correlates with lower anxiety, greater resilience, and steadier motivation than high self-esteem alone. - A recent meta-analysis shows performance gains across 30+ sports studies when athletes practiced structured self-talk. Make your self-talk kinder (and more useful) 1. Name-swap: When stress spikes, switch “I can’t handle this deadline” to “Shira, you’ve met tighter ones.” Third-person language creates distance and calms reactivity. 2. Values check: Write a 2-minute note on a core value before hard tasks. This simple affirmation primes the brain for openness and action. 3. Self-compassion break: Pause, note the struggle, remind yourself that imperfection is human, then ask “What would I say to a friend?” Answer it—out loud if possible. 3. Replace should with could: “I should post on LinkedIn daily” carries judgment. “I could post” invites choice and curiosity, easing resistance. 4. Cue cards: Draft two or three empowering phrases and place them where you work. Repetition wires the language in before pressure hits. Speak to yourself as you would to a promising colleague. Your inner voice will start working for you, not against you.

Daily exercise and a good nights sleep ward away all types of physical ailments. It builds your immune system, strengthens your muscles, creates new gateways in your brain, provides energy stores to your cells and many other benefits. These habits help you build resilience in your body. But how do you build resilience in your mind? You need to have a strong daily regiment to build your personal resilience. And in todays rapid change environment, personal resilience is more important than ever. We need to build our mental resilience to avoid getting overwhelmed by the constant barrage of change we experience everyday. In the PWC “Hopes and Fears Survey 2024” nearly two-thirds of employees say they’ve experienced more change at work in the last year than in the 12 months prior, and one-third of workers say they’ve experienced four or more significant changes at work in the last year, including to their team structures and daily job responsibilities. One of my mentees shared with me that they have had 4 managers in the last 12 months. Another shared that 50% of their team was laid off and the workload feels untenable. And a third reported that the charter of their team was changed without notice which has upended every project they were working on. While there is certainly a role that leaders, managers and organizations have in managing change better and in resourcing their teams effectively, there is also a burden that we each have to manage our own mental resiliency to lean into the change and learn through it. I believe that every change presents itself with an opportunity for growth and to build your own effectiveness. But it means we need to learn and then practice the skills to build that resiliency with the discipline necessary to apply it. Some practices like: 1. Practicing being present and not letting your mind dwell on past or future problems – but staying focused on one step at a time as you tackle the challenges and opportunities at hand. 2. Daily prioritization of what is critical, relevant and impactful and setting aside tasks that are not 3. Communicating with leaders, managers and peers about what change is happening and working to make sense of that change in your own mind – building out perspective and making meaning 4. Leaning on others for support to help you through the change and recognizing when you are feeling overwhelmed 5. Building strategies to help yourself when you get to the point of feeling overwhelmed – breathing exercises, meditation, taking walks, writing things down, stepping away are some of the mechanisms I have used to calm myself when I feel overwhelmed. Finding what works for you What are some practices and habits that you have found that have helped you build out your personal resiliency? #reslience #changemanagement #leadership #allies https://lnkd.in/gzRk2qey

🌈 Resilience Unleashed: Strategies for Conquering Career Storms with Confidence As we wrap up 2023, I have taken to heart some of the challenges some of the professionals I've had the privilege to coach and counsel have dealt with this year. Many of my clients have faced challenges ranging from job terminations, furloughs, rescinded job offers, and even dealing with racism. Relationships between employees and employers are delicate. It’s like a tender box. The world itself is noisy and overwrought, often triggering our nervous system into a panicked state. Resilience has been a guiding concept I've shared with numerous individuals, to provide support as they navigate challenging times. Psychiatrist Dan Siegel reminds us to acknowledge our emotions when faced with challenges. Recognizing where we are emotionally helps us calm down and make more rational decisions. Siegel calls it “name it to tame it.” Step #1 —Develop a resolute acceptance of reality. Instead of denial, ask yourself, "How can I skillfully respond to this challenge right here and now?" Step #2—Wisdom comes from embracing the belief that life has meaning, even in our toughest moments. Step #3—Develop the ability to be flexible, (RESILIENT), to make the most of what has been placed in front of you. When faced with uncertainty, panic sets end, and the rational mind—the prefrontal cortex of the brain shuts down, and the alarm circuit, the amygdala of the brain, takes over. In the midst of turbulence, hitting the pause button becomes critical.  Resist the urge to make decisions. Instead, own your feelings and allow yourself time and space to determine next steps. An impactful strategy highlighted by Joan Borysenko’s article, "Cultivating Resilience," invites us to embrace daily moments of goodness. Joan recommends taking a moment before bedtime to revisit a positive experience, relishing it with all the senses. This can be a powerful tool in steering clear of anxieties and instead cultivating resilience. I'd love to hear from you! What are your go-to practices for calming the mind and building resilience when faced with challenges? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Let's inspire each other to finish this year on a strong note and step into the new year with resilience and courage. 💪 #careercoach #resumewriter #communitytopvoice

I forgot to work this part of my brain! You do, too. How I strengthened my resilience today without spending hours in the gym. Step 1: Push your limits in new ways. - I took on a hike with two 35-pound kettlebells and a 45-pound backpack. - It wasn’t just physical—it was mental endurance too. - This challenge activated the Anterior Midcingulate Cortex (AMCC) in my brain. The Payoff: Greater resilience and a renewed sense of focus. Step 2: Understand how the brain builds resilience. - The AMCC helps us push through discomfort. - This part of the brain strengthens with repeated challenges. - It’s critical for executives facing ongoing uncertainty and pressure. The Payoff: Stronger mental endurance to tackle tough decisions and change. Step 3: Apply this daily to lead better under stress. - Small physical challenges prime your brain for mental resilience. - The more you push yourself, the more adaptive you become. - It’s not just about endurance—it’s about resilience in every area. The Payoff: Better decision-making, clearer communication, and stronger leadership. What’s your strategy for building resilience under pressure? I was hurting a bit when this was done. Calves and shins were pumped !

The 4 things I wish I had known about building resilience: (I only JUST started growing this skill - here's how) Intellectually, I knew resilience was the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and setbacks. But for most of my life, I never had to PRACTICE resilience. Until recently. Now, I know that resilience is more than just bouncing back. Here are the key elements of resilience I wish I had known earlier. Master these, and you are 50% ahead of the rest: 1. Adaptability ↳ Adjusting to new challenges with ease. Tip: Regularly step out of your comfort zone. Start small, then move to bigger things. (Have trouble giving people eye contact? Start with one look at the person at your local coffee shop.) 2. Persistence ↳ Moving forward despite obstacles. Tip: Develop habits that encourage you to stay consistent with your goals. (My favorite habit is time-blocking my calendar.) 3. Emotional Strength ↳ Managing stress and reframing negative thoughts with more positive ones. Tip: Regularly reflect on your emotions and understand their triggers. This awareness helps you manage reactions effectively. (This changed my life.) 4. Problem-Solving ↳ Finding effective solutions, not being overwhelmed. Tip: Come up with four solutions, and then take one small action towards one. (Just one.) Resilience allows you to turn setbacks into growth opportunities. It is a crucial skill in this ever-evolving world. Are you ready to own it? How do you cultivate resilience in your life? Let me know in the comments! __ 👋 Hi, I'm Sheena Hakimian! I went from feeling stuck to becoming fearless by investing in my personal growth. 1-1 coaching is great, but it can be costly. I've made coaching easy for you! Sign up for my free personal coaching style newsletter, delivered every other Monday, and get: → 1 thing to think about → 1 question to ask yourself → 1 action to take that week You can sign up at the link under my name. #resilience #confidence #personaldevelopment #careergrowth #mindset