Real-time resilience consists of three tactics: reframe, evidence, and plan. Together, these tactics form the acronym REP. We want to embrace challenges so we can do some REPs for resilience. Dr. Karen Reivich, provides some sentence starters to help us implement each tactic.
In Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills: Dr. Karen Reivich tells us:
Reframe – “A better way of seeing this is…” or “GOOD…”
Evidence – “That’s not true, because…”
Plan – “IF X happens, THEN I will Y.” A contingency plan. IF-THEN plans.
I love real-time resilience. I use it weekly, sometimes daily. In general, reframing feels like a superpower. Practice with the small things so you are ready when the big things come.
Jocko Willink, former Navy SEAL, uses one word for reframe: “GOOD”
- Didn’t get promoted: “GOOD, more time to get better!”
- Broke arm: “GOOD, at least it wasn’t my neck!”
- Lost job: “GOOD, an opportunity to find a better job!”
- Driver cuts you off: “GOOD, an opportunity to take a deep breath!”
- Still breathing: “GOOD, that means I got some fight left in me!”
You can watch Jocko explain “GOOD” here.
