The Enough Experiment: Resilience in times of uncertainty

The Enough Experiment is a new, digital twelve-month column at Psychologies with coach Mandy Lehto.

Each month, we’ll focus on a particular theme, and conduct an experiment to see if we can feel better about ourselves in that aspect of our lives. Small changes add up over twelve months.

I’ll coach you around becoming an “aspiring good-enoughist” – Brené Brown’s wonderful phrase – and I’ll experiment right alongside you.

We’ll be supported by experts on short, informative videos (about 5 min), and we’ll dig deeper with questions and prompts from the monthly downloadable, printable worksheet (no more than 15 min).

You’re encouraged to share your questions, discoveries and experiences on The Life Leap club on Facebook, where I’ll be offering support.

The real power of this experiment isn’t what happens in the videos or the worksheets. It’s in how you implement your findings in day to day life.

Catch up on last month’s experiment here.

Uncertainty

Because of the challenging times we’re currently experiencing, I’ve added a special topic to The Enough Experiment this month (we’ll feature wellness next time).

How can you feel resilient enough during periods of uncertainty?

So much of aspiring to be enough is an attempt to be in control. When very little feels under your control, the mind tends to catastrophise, conjuring up worst case scenarios and examples of past wobblers.

Gabrielle Treanor, “coach to the overwhelmed” and this month’s expert, suggests making a list of times you were resilient in difficult circumstances. Capture evidence in your journal and keep adding to it throughout the month. It could be anything – from how you handled a snub to how you coped with the death of a loved one.

Here are three of mine:

• Re-starting a book I’d been working on (for five years) after my editor suggested a restructure.
• Dating (and getting married) again after being divorced twice.
• Starting a business during an economic downturn, after leaving a well-paid (but soul-sucking) job.

My not-enoughness reared its head in every one of these scenarios.

A resilience list is an evidence-based counterbalance to the runaway, story-telling mind; a reminder that we have a track record of doing hard things.

This is a really practical experiment for you this month. I’ve added a bonus step from counsellor, Rachel Hasper, on the worksheet. Think about how you’d like to show up regarding things under your control. What values can you deepen into?

When you catch yourself feeling anxious and not resilient enough, bring your mind back to the two inner circles in this month’s experiment.

Let’s get started.

This Month’s Experiment

Step 1: Download this month’s worksheet.

Step 2: Watch the video below and complete the exercise.

Step 3: Listen to Gabrielle’s podcast episode HERE.

Step 4: Who do you know who’d benefit from The Enough Experiment? Share this link with them.

Don’t forget to share your experiences on The Life Leap Club on Facebook, and find me on Instagram.

Next time: Wellbeing with Suzy Reading…

Image: Getty