Redefining Resilience: Going Beyond "Toughing It Out"

Resilience is often defined as bouncing back or recovering from adversity. However, what if resilience goes deeper? For people of color, resilience is sometimes misrepresented as an ability to tolerate hardship due to past struggles. But true resilience is about tapping into innate strengths, skills, and traits to overcome challenges and thrive.

When I moved to the UK at 18, my first job was as a nursing assistant in an emergency ward. I had no prior experience, but I found myself having to take blood pressure readings for patients. I had only a basic understanding from school and TV shows. So, I quickly adapted, asked a friendly nurse for guidance, and relied on my instincts. This moment taught me that resilience isn't just about bouncing back—it's about figuring things out when you're in unknown territory, drawing on whatever knowledge or resources you can find.

I realized this again when I wrote my first book. I wasn’t a professional writer, but I had a story, a deep desire to help, and the belief that I could make an impact. With support from editors and publishers, I crafted a book that not only told my story but also resonated with those facing similar struggles. It showed me that resilience is not just about enduring hardship—it’s about using your innate strengths, tapping into your drive, and seeking the right support to create something meaningful.

What does this have to do with workplace mental health? In industries like mining or construction, healthcare or corporate, where the workload is relentless and the pressure unyielding, resilience is not about toughing it out. Instead, it's about recognizing your strengths, knowing when to ask for help, and understanding that pushing through isn’t always the answer.

This deeper form of resilience ties into the theory of Human Design, which emphasizes understanding one's personality and traits to harness innate strengths. By recognizing these characteristics, individuals are better equipped to face challenges, grow, and thrive in demanding environments. In high-pressure work environments such as healthcare, mining, construction, and corporate settings, the job itself is inherently challenging. Workers face heavy workloads, long hours, isolation, discrimination, and even workplace hazards.

Why Toughing It Out Can Be Harmful: In industries like mining, construction, and healthcare, many workers face high psychological hazards like long hours, isolation, and high workloads. "Toughing it out" can exacerbate issues like burnout, poor job satisfaction, and even physical health risks.

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back;. True resilience comes from knowing what you can handle and when to seek support. It's not about toughing it out at all costs—because doing so can have serious consequences on both your mental and physical health, as well as your work performance. Being resilient also means recognizing when certain environments are misaligned with your personality or well-being and having the courage to step away for your own health.

Instead of expecting workers to "tough it out MM Complete Wellbeing Global focuses on helping leaders and their employees identify their unique strengths and utilize them to build resilience. Resilience isn't about toughening up but about leveraging who you are, your past successes, and your personality to navigate both personal and professional journeys effectively.

By working with leaders and employees to uncover their natural skills and providing tailored support through mental health programs and lifestyle coaching, MM Complete Wellbeing creates an environment where leaders and employees can thrive without burning out. We offer holistic solutions to prevent exhaustion, increase job satisfaction, and foster an authentic approach to resilience—one that goes beyond mere survival to thriving in all aspects of life.

MM Complete Wellbeing supports this through our holistic approach, including lifestyle coaching and mental health literacy training and support, helping individuals identify and maximize their strengths.

Our Approach to Resilience:

• Identify innate strengths and personality traits to align your role with what energizes you.
• Equip individuals with practical tools for managing stress.
• Provide support through mental health assessments, counseling, and coaching for long-term well-being.

Being truly resilient is knowing when to persevere and when to change your environment. Prioritize yourself.

At MM Complete Wellbeing, we believe that resilience is about much more than bouncing back—it's about equipping individuals and teams with the self-awareness and tools needed to thrive, regardless of the challenges ahead. Our holistic approach integrates mental health support, coaching, and training to build lasting resilience for employees in high-pressure environments.

What does resilience mean to you?

This article was published on the 25th October 2024 by Mabble Munyimani.

Mabble Munyimani is passionate about empowering individuals and organisations to thrive in a diverse environment. Mabble also draws on her expertise as a Mental Health Expert and her storytelling ability to enrich her impactful programs. With a robust background in critical and acute care nursing, Mabble brings a wealth of experience in risk assessment, crisis management, and direct patient care to her role in supporting leaders and their teams in the workplace.

Her extensive clinical training has equipped her with a unique skill set crucial for understanding and addressing workplace psychological hazards and promoting mental health and well-being.

As a global citizen, born and raised in Zimbabwe, Africa, and having studied and developed her professional and entrepreneurial skills in the United Kingdom and Australia, she brings a diverse perspective to her work.

Mabble's goal is to cultivate inclusive cultures within organisations, fostering engagement and effectiveness across diverse demographic groups. Through her dynamic training sessions and keynote speeches, Mabble equips teams with the tools necessary to navigate and leverage the complexities of the workplace, ultimately driving innovation and business success.