​​​​Christopher Sopko

We all know that life is not always easy.  Dealing with change or loss is an inevitable part of our journey and we will all experience certain setbacks at work and on a personal basis.   Some of these challenges will be minor while others will affect us on a much larger scale.  How we handle these situations from an emotional and psychological standpoint plays a significant role in how things ultimately turn out.

During the course of our lives we may have witnessed some people who seem to remain calm when faced with a difficult or disastrous situation, while others seem to panic and fall apart.   We may have wondered how these people are able to keep their cool during great times of stress and display what psychologists typically refer to as resilience, or an ability to handle problems and setbacks in an appropriate and professional manner. 

Resilient people are able to utilize their skill, background and emotional fortitude to recover from what other might deem to be monumental problems and challenges, like unemployment, bankruptcy, divorce, or the loss of a loved one. 

Those who lack this type of psychological resilience often times become overwhelmed by these experiences. Some people become nearly paralyzed by the problems they face and may use unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol to deal with their challenges. Generally, these individuals do not recover as quickly from setbacks and may experience a great deal of long term psychological distress.

Please note, that being resilient does not eliminate bad things from happening, but it provides the internal strength to deal with negative situations in an appropriate fashion and to ultimately move on with their lives.