Join Antonia Ruhl for her upcoming event, "An
Evening with Antonia Ruhl
Heal the Past, Create the Future
at Sofitel Melbourne.
Forget about IQ and EQ – these days it’s
all about developing our Resilience Quotient, or RQ.
Here, natural health practitioner, Antonia Ruhl, shows
us how to bounce back from life’s obstacles,
and develop emotional resilience.
Let’s face it, life isn’t always smooth
sailing. We’re constantly faced with unexpected
challenges, and while we may not be able to change,
or sometimes predict, these events, we can change our
attitudes and reactions towards them.
Why is it that some people are able to bounce back
from life’s dramas relatively quickly, while
others wallow in their misfortune for months? The answer
is resilience – the capacity of people to cope
with stress and adversity.
Many believe that how a population recovers from an
event depends to some extent on its resilience quotient.
In the days following the devastating Haitian earthquake
in January, we all heard the remarkable stories of
the Haiti people singing and dancing in the streets
to praise God and mourn families and friends killed
by the earthquake.
U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon lauded the faith
and resilience of the Haitian people, and CNN’s
Elizabeth McAllister said “The Haitian people
are the greatest resource Haiti has to rebuild itself.
Their resilience in the face of disaster forms a foundation
upon which all organizations rushing to aid Haiti can
build upon”.
When we look at history, those who have reached the
height of success have done so thanks to their resilience.
Thomas Edison, inventor of the light-globe, failed
hundreds of times before he found a reliable filament
for light bulbs. Henry Ford, founder of the Ford motor
company suffered bankruptcy before he achieved success,
and cyclist Lance Armstrong overcame cancer to win
Le Tour de France seven times.
Daily, millions of people get up after being knocked
down, and a lot of it comes down to resilience. In
the current financial and unemployment climate, there
has been an increase in the number of people who are
feeling anxious, vulnerable and stressed, however some
will come through due to their resilience.
Resilience can fluctuate depending on what happens
to a person, and how they handle it, but the good news
is that resilience can be developed at any age. It
simply takes some subtle changes in a person’s
perspective.
Just as we have our spring, summer, and autumn, we
also need our winter. It can present an opportunity
to renew and rejuvenate, and when we emerge from it,
life will be flourishing all over again.
For those who are facing hardship, or even unemployment,
try to look at the situation from a different perspective.
Don’t wallow, but try to spot the opportunity.
Perhaps a change has come about because it’s
time for you to move on, maybe you’re stuck in
a job you don’t really like, or continue to stay
on only for money. Remember, if you’re afraid
of moving on, you can’t move into the future – so
while this might be your ‘winter’, if you
see the beauty in the situation, you’ll find
ways to grow.
Also, don’t let your emotions control you. Many
people are controlled by past experiences and the emotions
they attach to them. Suppressed emotions can limit
our decision-making ability and can come to the surface
when we face a hurdle, so learn to face your past rejections
so that they don’t control how you respond to
a situation. It’s also critical that you learn
to embrace change - accept that change, in your personal
and professional life, is inevitable and learn how
to adjust to changing situations.
Tips for improving your resilience quotient:
- Pain - Review as many painful experiences as you
can think of, both real life experiences, as well
as imaginary ones. Also, go back to your childhood
and
heal any pain with your parents. Look at each situation
and ask ‘what change in attitude could help reduce
the pain in each circumstance’?
- Purpose - Develop a sense of purpose in your life,
and have something that makes you feel positive,
whether it’s a particular friend or hobby.
When things go wrong, focus on this one thing that
makes you feel
positive.
- Hope - Remain hopeful, because our thoughts and energy
affect others, and ourselves. Expect good things, and
find at least one thing each day that signals a positive
change.
- Decisions – review the situation you’re
facing, get all of the facts, and then make a decision.
Indecisiveness means that you’ll never move
on from the situation, so make a decision and act!
- An Exercise – our mother is the person who
created us, so ask for her blessing for anything
that you want in life, whether it be a great relationship
or the perfect job. If you cant speak to your mother
in person, visualise her sitting in front of you,
and
ask her to bless you with your wishes.
Trained by a medicine man in the Amazon jungle, Antonia
Ruhl is today an Internationally renowned healer, author
and natural heath practitioner whose Melbourne-based
clinic offers a range of services covering all aspects
of human experience: Mind, Body and Spirit.
‘
An evening with Antonia Ruhl: Heal the Past, Create
the Future’ - at Sofitel Melbourne.
