How can you become more resilient and adaptable in the workplace?

The principle idea in my approach to building resilience and adaptability is to dissolve the myth of "work-life balance" and instead switch to the concept of balanced life, which work is a part of. When you think about your strengths and values, do not limit them to professional ones - invite all of yourself to this brainstorming. Unexpected "blue oceans" may arise when you identify how your personal sources of inspiration can be expressed at your workplace. This is how I first came to sharing my meditation practice with my colleagues, and now, after the company management recognized the benefits, I lead a standing meeting for mindfulness practices that is officially on the company schedule!

"Growth mindset" is a controversial term to me. As someone wise once said, “Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” When we grow, we need to have an inspired direction, and only then make effort. Too many people take self-improvement as a form of active procrastination. They know that something is missing from their lives, but don't take time to dig deeper. So they tell themselves: one more certificate, one more online course, one more conference - and I will see clearly. No, you won't! To grow healthily, grow towards your Light - your idea, your inspiration. Take time to find it and then make effort towards it. It's more important where you are going, then how fast you are going there.

It is a gift that we get to connect personally with our colleagues. In my practice as a mindfulness consultant for business leaders I've been using community building approach to cultivate meaningful connections within a team. Team and community are different things, the team is "built" and the community is "grown". Relationships develop organically, unpredictably and excitingly. It takes an art of a curator to develop community at work. But once you achieve it, you will be rewarded with unprecedented feeling of unity and acceptance, which in turn will make every team member more resilient at work, and also adaptable - to each other and to the surrounding challenges.

Awareness is the key. Non-judgemental, patient observation and giving yourself time to feel the emotion, to breathe through the stress - these are the ultimate tools of stress-management. Any technique, that they are packaged into, works fine, as long as one is genuinely present and compassionate with oneself. An approach I practice eagerly is the analysis of "Themes of consciousness" made famous by Mathew Micheletti and Ashley Cottrell in their book "The Inner Work". This is a poweful self-study tool I recommend to clients I consult on mindfulness in business.

The way one receives feedback can tell a lot about one's resilience and adaptability. We can be emotionally triggered by feedback, which means we need to study ourselves more and master our emotions, as explained above. But when we are balanced and ready for positive and constructive work, feedback is always our friend. In our company we practice not only employee satisfaction questionnaires to gather feedback from the team, but also deeper open-ended questions to invite colleagues reflect on each other's strength, weaknesses and potential. Self-improvement opportunities thrive when these two factors come together: feedback culture is established on the organisational level, and every team member is self-aware and mindful.

Whenever I achieve a significant success, I share it openly with my friends over a celebratory drink or sweets in the office. And when I make small successes, I try to note them in my journal. It is important because #positivestress is as disturbing for our #nervoussystem as negative stress, even though we experience it in a pleasant way. When we #celebrate, we give time and attention to the occasion that caused this heightened emotion, i.e. processing it. Then we can carry on with lighter head, recalibrated emotions and a valuable positive memory.

In general, to achieve #resilience and #adaptability, be yourself. Invest in you! Because the person coming to work and facing those challenges is not an abstract professional - it is you, all of you. This is what you need to strengthen and care for.