Skip to main content

Pandemic overturned everything, we must embrace resilience for better future





By Moin Qazi*
The covid-19 pandemic is a human tragedy of potentially biblical proportion and has convulsed societies like never before. The world is gripped in a fright of an invisible threat that has caused an exponential explosion of infections, massive destruction of livelihoods and the ghastly appearance of refrigerated trucks parked next to hospitals as mobile morgues. Nature has turned our world into a sinister dystopia.
Tragically, the pandemic has also revealed one particularly shocking thing about our societies and economies: they have been operating on a very thin margin. The edifice seems so shiny a world of silver jets stitching together gleaming cities, a globe of soaring markets and industrial empires. But some months into coronavirus and it’s all tottering, the jets grounded, the cities silent and industry after another heading for bankruptcy. However shiny our world may have seemed, it wasn’t very sturdy. Our systems and society seem to be very fragile, exploding the myths of a robust and resilient order.
As the pandemic has overturned everything we thought we knew about our future, we all must embrace a life free of expectations. The crisis has revealed that we have little control over our environment and the challenges that come our way. But there is always something we can do to soften the impact: we can enhance our ability to handle crisis and cope with adversities. This ability to harness our inner strength to bounce back from setbacks and to thrive during times of challenge or change is defined as resilience. Resilience strengthens the state of our mind and our ability to endure and thrive no matter what comes our way.
Resilience is an important tool for modern leaders in every field. Those who are actively engaged in building a healthy and just society face unique challenges that often take a deep personal toll. If you lack resilience, you will be vulnerable to stressors and disruptors like burnout, breakdowns in relationships or death of a loved one might feel victimized, harassed or turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse.
While we know that career success can be largely defined by hard work and luck, the ability to work through adversity should never be underestimated. It’s easy to dismiss resilience as something you’re either born with or without. But it can be built with a few simple techniques.
Resilience is however not a fixed trait. It actually grows out of a set of “learnable” behaviors with results that interact to make you less vulnerable to stress. We are all resilient to varying degrees, yet everyone can become even more resilient. We are far more resilient when we are engaged and supported and motivated with and by others. Building strong, positive relationships makes us stronger, happier, more confident — and more resilient to challenge.
While resilience is an essential skill for healthy childhood, adults also can boost resilience in middle age, which is often the time we need it most. Midlife can bring all kinds of highly stressful environments that don’t allow for self-reflection or self-care. Some of the qualities of middle age — a maturity of mind that gives better ability to regulate emotions and a more balanced perspective gained from life’s experiences and concern for future generations — may give older people an advantage over the young when it comes to developing resilience,
Whether you can be said to be resilient or not largely depends on the way you respond as your life unfolds. If you are lucky enough to never experience any sort of adversity or any serious stressors we won’t know how resilient you are. It’s only when you’re faced with hindrances, stress, and other environmental threats that resilience, or the lack of it, can be known.
Resilience won’t make your problems go away, but it can give you the ability to see past them. It will help you adapt to difficult situations. When stress, adversity or trauma strikes, you will still experience anger, grief and pain, but you’ll be able to cope with it — both physically and mentally.
Humans possess an extraordinary capacity for adaptation as they are endowed with a natural evolutionary heritage. They have an unprecedented proclivity to alter the ways of life. This is the reason why they have such vast cultural and behavioral diversity. Our fundamental human social, ecological and behavioral adaptability have, over time, enhanced our ability to manage the immediate world, to cushion the impact of the unpredictable, to survive novelty—all through an extraordinary ability to alter the surroundings.
Anyone, anywhere, can initiate change. The guiding manta can be: “Be the change you wish to see in the world “—which has often been attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. It is nearly more than a century and a half ago that Charles Darwin propounded his theory of evolution. To quote a passage which are many have been attributed to him but there is yet no reliable confirmation, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”Darwin’s insights into the process of evolution have a direct bearing on the phenomenon of human adaptation that we are talking of, although not in a narrow physical or biological way. Alvin Toffler also cautions with a similar refrain: “The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
Adaptability is the only way to ensure the survival of an organism. The assumption that human beings are very special because they have the power, intellect and will to survive in the most trying of circumstances doesn’t stand scrutiny as we have found that life not only survives but thrives in conditions in which human being cannot possibly survive. How strange it is that the little cockroaches outlived the mighty Dinosaurs. Animals learn to adapt and also evolve to cope with the changing environment. Photosynthesis is something natural for the survival of some organisms. But at deep fathomless levels of oceans where there is no sunlight organisms continue to thrive. These are microbial life forms surviving for millions of years, drawing sustenance from minerals and chemicals, tucked away in the dark recesses where there is no light.
What is important for us is how fast we adapt to the changes around us. Instead of dreading change, we must try to find comfort in it. Those who are deeply rooted in traditions are quite likely to be resistant to change. The traditionalists are pessimists about the future and optimists about the past. The temptation to use tradition as a cover for prejudice and conformity, accompanied by a refusal to change or stretch, manifests itself quite stubbornly because it has become our nature. Many refuse to accept that new and creative approaches to finding a solution to problems are possible. Pushed into adopting new ways, they might join hands to ensure that things don’t work. Alan Cohen advises us, “It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power”.
When we are confronted with unforeseen changes in our lives, our first response may be to either run away from them or fight them. The fear of redundancy is real for those not prepared for change. Fight or flight is an inborn survival instinct that surfaces when we feel threatened. Embracing change with our full being is the only way for us to live mindfully and meaningfully.
For the majority of those of middle age, inelasticity comes not of physical muscle and sinew alone, but of mental fibre as well. Experience has its dangers: it may bring wisdom, but it may also bring stiffness and cause hardening of the mind, leading to an inelasticity, which can be crippling for the individual as well as the people around him.
One of the keys to an individual’s success is the ability to adapt to changing situations. “Anicca,” the Pali word for impermanence, is the core of Buddhism. The entire teachings of the Buddha revolve around the fact that nothing stays the same—everything transforms. Albert Einstein emphasizes, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mindset in which it was created.”
Charles Dickens wrote about a prisoner who was locked up for many years in a dungeon. After serving his sentence, he got his freedom. He was brought out from his cell into the bright daylight of the open world. This man looked all around and, after a few moments, was so uncomfortable with his newly acquired freedom that he asked to be taken back to the confines of his cell. To him, the dungeon, the chains, and the darkness were more familiar, secure, and comfortable than accepting the change of freedom and an open world.
Change happens whether we want it to or not. Some people welcome change and find ways to turn the unexpected into an opportunity for growth. Others become frightened and simply react. How we handle the inevitable changes are the keys to living a life without fear.

*Development expert

Comments

TRENDING

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders'  Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate. 

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor  The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

Significant step towards empowering and particularly engaging with informal workers

ActionAid note on drive to empower informal sector workers Odisha with the support of District Labour Department: *** The Odisha Unorganised Workers Social Security Board (OUWSSB) facilitated an Unorganized Workers Awareness Camp at the Red Cross Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event took place in collaboration with the District Labour Department at Khordha, Centre for Child and Women Development and ActionAid Association. This informative event aimed at empowering informal sector workers by disseminating crucial information regarding their eligibility for various social security schemes provided by the Government of Odisha.

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor  On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Grassroots NGO enlightens people of Kupwara with intricacies of Right to Information

J&K RTI Foundation and Founder Civil Rights Movement Kupwara note on how RTI Pend is empowering Kupwara with insights on Right to Information Act: *** RTI Pend, the grassroots initiative aimed at democratizing access to information, hosted its 2nd event in Kupwara. On the request of the Civil Rights Movement Kupwara, this event was tailored to enlighten the people of Kupwara with the intricacies of the Right to Information Act, presented in their local language and dialects. The event successfully bridged both offline and online participation, addressing queries on the spot and offering applicants practical solutions.

Dev Anand ably acted as westernised, urban educated, modern hero, as also anti-hero

By Harsh Thakor  On September 26th we celebrated the birth centenary of legendary actor Dev Anand. Dev Saab carved out a new epoch or made a path breaking contribution in portraying romanticism and action in Bollywood cinema, giving his style or mannerisms a new colour. Arguably no Bollywood star manifested glamour in such a dignified or serene manner or struck the core of an audience’s soul in romantic melodies. Possibly we missed this evergreen star being cast in a Hollywood film. Dev Anand is like an inextinguishable soul of Bollywood. Although not as artistic or intense as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor or Ashok Kumar ,Dev Anand surpassed them all for liveliness or flamboyance, with his performances radiating g energy on the screen, in realms rarely transcended. In his own right, Dev Saab, was a craftsman, like his classical contemporaries, with a characteristic composure. Perhaps never was a Bollywood star so suave, bubbling or charming as Dev Anand, who often looked like an Indian versi

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Agro-biodiversity through seed identification, conservation, replication, crop selection

By Kuntal Mukherjee, Basant Yadav, Shivnath Yadav* This article is mainly based on a journey of the three of us since 2010 based on field experience, study of different articles, reflective journeys with local community based organisations, villagers and practitioners in Chhattisgarh. The slow growth of Agriculture in India with near stagnation in productivity since mid ‘80s in contrast to the remarkable growth during the green revolution period has come to the front as a great concern. In post WTO era Indian Agriculture has been witnessing structural changes, uncontrolled influx of agriculture goods and commodities from foreign countries due to open market nature. The gradual reduction in subsidies from internal production leads to increasing cost of production of agriculture produces at the farm gate. It causes gradual decrease in internal production as well as productivity and posing threats to small farm and stakeholders. 

Indian youth can choose political career which offers tremendous opportunities

By Sudhansu R Das  The Indian political sector is growing faster than any other sector in the world. This sector has been fully liberalised. Political career in India is open to any age group starting from 25 plus to 90 plus; people with any educational background, even an illiterate person can contest election in India. An old man or woman with multiple organ failure can become leader of a political party; they can control party workers from the hospital bed also. Social status, physical and mental ability seldom stand in the way of a political leader. Advanced age is not an issue which can be reversed with effortless ease. 

Commodification of road accident deaths: The hidden health hazard of motonormativity

By Chandra Vikash*  Jahnavi Kandula, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, studying in America was killed in a road accident by a police motor car in January 2023. Now, 8 months after the accident, a bodycam video of Daniel Orderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, has gone viral on social media. He was laughing at her death and saying that “she was 26 years old, anyway… she had limited value… just give her $11,000 (ie Rs 9.13 lakh)”.