Build Resilience – Find the Positive and then Use it!

As we continue to navigate – some might say survive – this ongoing medical, economic and social crisis together, where are we beyond being completely physically isolated? In terms of people’s focus, the harsh reality is we’re being forced to be in 3 places at once – in the here and now living in the moment, trying to predict and react to the short term and what might emerge next and lastly thinking ahead to what the new normal might turn out to be and how we might find our way there.

In this state, it’s too easy to hold a negative perspective on this whole saga. What is it that you can hold on to with a positive perspective – where you might find hope or comfort? 

Below are just a few suggestions from me but we’d really like to hear your views…

  • Repurposing – Innovation: Our thanks must go out to our brave and innovative engineers and manufacturers here. I’m delighted to say the list is long and growing; Prime Print Group for making visors for our health workers, Dyson, G-Tech, Meggitt, McLaren and many others making ventilators for the critically sick, designers and engineers sharing their designs and prototypes internationally to share the knowledge, Brewdog, Ineos and many others making hand sanitisers,
  • Acts of Community Kindness: the near 1million volunteers who have signed up to support the NHS and Social work that is vital. The numerous local community based networks created to ensure the elderly, vulnerable are not cut off from social contact, vital food and medicines.
  • Front Line Colleagues Re-engaging: The 10 of 1,000s of professional colleagues who have stepped back into the front line into nursing, social work and other key work from retirement and other careers.
  • NHS & Key Worker Acknowledgements: To Greggs for providing free hot drinks to NHS workers / emergency services, to BP for providing free fuel for emergency vehicles, to the AA for providing free cover for NHS workers.
  • Medical Innovation: Novacyt who are designing one of the first diagnostic tests, all of the pharmaceutical sector and related organisations for pulling out all the stops and doing things in record breaking time and delivering the unthinkable.
  • Giant Collaboration: For the super-fast and effective collaboration between the MOD and Mitie for building the London Nightingale Hospital.
  • Protection: 1,000s of Employers along with Government support have managed to protect and preserve jobs, work and future employment by temporarily cutting hours, furloughing and redeploying their people in innovative ways.
  • Blue Skies: (Not an acknowledgement but a positive nevertheless) – We have seen a dramatic fall in pollution levels across London, the UK and across the world. This is having a significant effect on health particularly for asthma suffers and those with underlying health conditions.

Why is this important? Being dominated by fear is likely to make us feel like a victim which can be both disabling and infectious. Choosing a positive perspective can allow us to build much needed extra resilience and new emotional resources.  So spread the word – pass on the good!

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