Cultivate resilience

What is resilience, and how can you cultivate it in your own life?

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Where are we now?

Many challenges that we face in the world today have left public authorities dealing with a range of emergencies and crises unprecedented in their speed, scope and scale.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example of this - something that started small in a matter of weeks became a worldwide issue, cascading across interconnected societies, economies and cultures in a way that forced authorities to adopt urgent measures to address and contain the threat to public health. Because of this, a biological hazard quickly became far more, having wide-ranging implications across all domains of modern life.

This emergency, and its aftermath, will continue to have an impact on social, economic and institutional structures for years to come, and revealed deeply harmful flaws in the way we organise ourselves to anticipate and prepare for emerging issues and risks on the horizon, and respond to, recover from and positively adapt once they’re here and unfolding as emergency and possibly disaster scenarios.

Plans and preparations for significant disruptive change, which in this case came through a global pandemic, were severely lacking, poorly distributed and disconnected, leaving governments and citizens exposed and vulnerable in a moment when they needed them most.

This idea of preparing for and being able to weather and learn from disruption is known as resilience. Specifically, it is the ability of people, things and systems to prepare for, recover from, and adapt in the face of stress, trauma or tragedy inflicted by risks and hazards. It’s the crucial quality that empowers and enables all systems and structures, including humans, individuals, households and communities, to navigate through disruptive change, emerge stronger, more adaptable, more integrated, and more capable of facing future adversity.

Today, risks are becoming more complex, interconnected, uncertain, volatile, and have more disruptive potential than ever before. This means that resilience is far more than just a buzzword on the lips of governments and organisations around the world, but a vital imperative needed for our survival, adaptability, security and long-term prosperity.

What is resilience?

Although resilience is a relatively new solution being considered by political decision-makers, it's an ancient concept with a long and detailed history of discussion in contemporary ecological, engineering and security circles.

In these, resilience is recognised as a complex and multidimensional concept whose definition varies depending on the focus of study and the domain of application or activity.

In engineering, resilience is mainly concerned with the ability of a piece of technology, architecture or infrastructure to withstand shocks and disruption, something known as robustness. Generally, the aim here is to preserve the ability of the thing to function in the way that it did before the disruption happened.

In ecology and environmental studies, resilience is a characteristic through which ecosystems maintain themselves in the face of disturbance. Given that these ecosystems are complex networks of interconnected biological parts and elements that adapt and self-organise in response to change, resilience is also considered something that is cultivated and strengthened over time. In other words, it's both a process and outcome.

From a social perspective, resilience has been thought of as the ability of groups or communities to cope with external stresses and disturbances as a result of social, political, economic and environmental change. In this, there is usually a focus on the factors and things that would enable people to cope and adapt in response to disruptive change and actively become more resilient through building relationships, and the ability to be robust, redundant (in the sense of having back-ups), and resourceful in times of disturbance.

In socio-economic studies, the most attention has been given to the policy-driven ability of an economic system to recover from and absorb the negative impacts of adverse external shocks.

Across these varied interpretations of resilience, we can pull out four things which generally enable and enhance the ability of something to be resilient.

It’s capacity to absorb the force of disruption. This is usually determined by the robustness of something (ability to withstand) and the quality and diversity of its redundancies (the back-ups that come into play once something stops working properly).
It’s ability to adapt, self-organise and be resourceful in disruptive events.
It’s speed and effectiveness in restoring itself to its pre-disruption state, or beyond it, after disruption.
Whether it is able to evolve after (or in anticipation of) disruption, so that it is better able to absorb, adapt and restore itself in future disruptions.

These are further reflected in the widely adopted Resilience Cycle, which indicates the interrelated elements needed to build and ensure resilience to a wide range of problematic scenarios and events.

If these four are done well, whatever the something is - an ecosystem, infrastructural network, rural community or individual living in a dense city - there are some clear advantages. It can :

Effectively embrace and navigate the uncertainty and adversity of change, avoiding harm and exploiting opportunities in different contexts.
Proactively prepare for and mitigate the impact of risks, reducing the likelihood of significant disruption and identifying early opportunities for intervention, innovation and improvement.
Harness its potential to transform and adapt to disruption in a way that improves its state over time and achieves a secure basis for the future. This is not just ‘bouncing back’, but ‘bouncing forward’.

Given these, there is little doubt that enabling individuals, households and communities to develop resilience is a positive thing, and would be useful not just when disaster strikes, but both before and after in the preparation and recovery stages.

However, in terms of governing and organising this resilience building, there are another couple of important questions that need to be asked.

Whose responsibility is it to cultivate resilience? And where does ownership lie?

Historically, the development and practice of resilience has been deeply personal, local and place-based. Without a modern infrastructure of emergency services and disaster management, communities and individuals bore the responsibility of navigating the aftermath of crises, using local knowledge and resources to make sense of, adapt to and recover from adversities. This grassroots, bottom-up approach to resilience was inherently decentralised and distributed, with the affected populations directly engaging in the process of rebuilding and learning from each episode and event of disruption.

As societies evolved, becoming more technologically advanced, interconnected and globalised, the locus of responsibility for resilience shifted. The complexity of challenges that began emerging with this development necessitated a level of coordination and resource allocation that often exceeded the capacity of local communities, and so the stewardship of resilience was increasingly abstracted away from the immediate reach of those most affected, and centralised within governmental and political institutions and authorities. This transition seemed reasonable at the time and was framed as part of a natural arc of progress and modernisation, aimed at leveraging broader resources, expertise, and infrastructure to protect and prepare populations on a scale that individual communities could not achieve on their own.

However, crises today starkly illustrate the limitations of relying solely on centralised governance structures to foster resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic, as we have discussed, was one example of many that revealed critical gaps in preparedness, response capabilities, and the adaptability of these institutions, highlighting a broader disconnect between the top-down, command-and-control approach to crisis management exemplified by central governments, and the on-the-ground needs and realities faced by communities and individuals.

As a case study, the pandemic underscored that while central authorities play an indispensable role in coordinating efforts and mobilising large-scale resources, the effectiveness of these measures is often constrained by bureaucratic processes, information silos, the dishonesty and perverse incentives of politics and the political class, and the inherent challenges of managing complex, rapidly evolving disruptive situations.

This realisation has prompted a re-evaluation of where ownership for resilience lies, reflected clearly and deliberately in the government's COVID-19 Inquiry Report The Resilience and Preparedness of the United Kingdom, and in the UK Government’s Resilience Framework, which identifies the crucial need for resilience building to be a ‘whole-of-society’ effort, with an emphasis on anticipation, preparedness and the wide and coordinated contribution of corporate, public and civil groups in ensuring the nation is ready and best-placed to respond to disruption. However, to truly realise the ambition of a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to resilience, a deeper reframing is necessary.

This is because there exists a significant gap between the government’s aspirations for societal resilience and its willingness to relinquish control and responsibility for preparing for and managing emergencies to individuals and communities.

At present, the emergency management paradigm in the UK is broadly characterised by a top-down approach that is narrow and reductionist in the sense that it has an overwhelming focus on hazards and threats, rather than the exposures and vulnerabilities that make these problematic in the first place, and despite the good work of well-meaning and skilled people in many organisations and local councils, does not effectively distribute the necessary knowledge and capability to the general public.

This dominant paradigm is also heavily influenced by a disaster economy populated with private companies who, concerningly often owned by donors or affiliates of the party in power, reap huge profits amid disruption through response activities that offer plasters to gaping wounds, sell misleading silver bullets, and typically seek to return society to the status-quo, rather than transform and bounce forward to an improved state in the wake of crises.

This traditional approach led by central government is deeply rooted in a hegemonic perspective in direct contradiction to a well thought-out and meaningfully constructed decentralised, community-driven resilience model. As a consequence, emergency preparedness and response planning arrangements in this country have been detrimentally homogenised, and often overlook crucial local knowledge and the specific needs of communities they claim governance over.

Altogether, this has contributed to a culture of learned helplessness and vulnerability within the UK population to a range of if not all potentially disruptive scenarios, where through a deep dependency on government to implement quick fixes, citizens are deprived of the knowledge, power and resources needed to cultivate and enhance their own resilience needs.

So what needs to happen?

To effectively counter the limitations of current centralised emergency management practices and achieve a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to resilience, a paradigm shift is needed toward empowering communities and individuals with the autonomy and resources needed to develop and apply localised solutions with appropriate speed and at the adequate scale.

This shift requires not only a re-evaluation of the roles and responsibilities of governments and communities in preparing for and managing crises, but a commitment to fostering conditions that enable local entities to lead resilience-building efforts effectively and extend legitimacy to the perspectives and inputs of new actors and groups, creating resilience polylogues that educate, capture and converge different thoughts and approaches into workable, forward-facing syntheses.

This includes investing in social infrastructure, promoting civic engagement, emphasising the active roles of households, and ensuring that all community members, especially the most vulnerable, have a seat at the decision-making table.

For communities, this approach can involve several important strategies and activities.

Self-realisation and empowerment

Communities and individuals possess an in-built capacity for resilience that can be harnessed and cultivated through proactive steps.

This involves empowering local entities and people to recognise and build upon their unique strengths and capabilities in facing crises. The "Transition Towns" movement, for example, showcases communities taking the initiative to build resilience from the ground up, focusing on sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Resisting homogenization

A one-size-fits-all approach to emergency management often fails to address the unique needs and strengths of different communities.

It's critical to resist such homogenization by acknowledging and incorporating the diverse perspectives, knowledge, and capabilities of communities and the individuals within it.

The concept of "engaged optimism," where communities respond to uncertainties with creativity, imagination and opportunity-driven actions, exemplifies this approach.

Embracing autonomy and leveraging diversity

Enduring resilience is built on the principle of autonomy and co-ordination self-organisation, enabling collaboration and unity without imposing uniformity. This includes valuing the diversity of potential experiences, knowledge, and responses to crises, ensuring that solutions are inclusive and representative of all community members.

Challenging traditional assumptions

Moving beyond hegemonic and linear assumptions about emergency management and future change is crucial.

This involves questioning traditional views of progress and stability and instead adopting a more flexible and adaptive mindset that is open to alternative ways of understanding and addressing crises, alongside an openness to the future as a plurality of possibilities, rather than a predetermined, singular destination.

Fostering creative and open responses to disruption

Encouraging localised forms of resilience that embrace creativity and openness to change is essential in an increasingly unpredictable world.

This includes supporting grassroots initiatives and local solutions that reflect the specific needs, cultures, and strengths of communities, and being imaginative when designing and implementing resilience-building measures.

Accepting the unknown

It's natural for uncertainty to make us feel uncomfortable, however, an openness to experimentation and improvisation in ambiguous situations allows for more adaptive and effective responses to crises.

Communities that embrace this mindset are better positioned to navigate the complexities of modern emergencies and to discover innovative solutions.

Framing resilience as affirmative change

Viewing resilience as an opportunity for positive transformation encourages communities to adapt and evolve in response to challenges.

This perspective fosters a culture of resilience that is dynamic and forward-looking, emphasising growth and improvement over a mere return to the status quo.

Experimenting with the design and implementation of various tools, strategies, things and processes that could minimise disruption and enhance resilience in the future can significantly improve abilities to absorb disruptions, adapt in response to them, restore anything that’s stopped working, like essential services, and bounce forward after events.

For households, this approach encompasses several key strategies and activities.

Proactively preparing

Households should actively engage in identifying potential risks and developing contingency plans. This might include creating emergency supply kits, establishing communication plans, and participating in local disaster preparedness training.

Designing things with resilience in mind and backing-up essential services

Investing in the resilience of your home can greatly reduce the impact of disruptions.

Weather-proofing and structural resilience : This could include installing storm shutters, reinforcing and maintaining structural weak-points against the stressors of extreme weather, and flood-proofing measures to protect the physical integrity of the home.

Essential service back-ups and redundancies : Ensuring the continuation of essential services like power and water during disruptions is critical. For this, you could invest in :

Power solutions : Battery backups, portable generators, and solar panels with battery storage can provide crucial energy during power outages. Solar panels, in particular, offer a sustainable alternative, as well as reducing dependency on the energy grid.

Water security : For water, consider rainwater harvesting systems coupled with purification filters to ensure a safe, alternative water supply. Additionally, keeping a supply of bottled water can provide immediate short-term relief.

Communication back-ups : A battery-powered or hand-crank radio can ensure access to information when internet and cellular networks are down. Satellite phones or two-way radios can also provide alternative communication channels.

Food security : Beyond a well-stocked kitchen of non-perishable items, consider alternative cooking sources like gas stoves or outdoor grills that can operate independently of electrical power.

Building social networks

Establishing strong relationships with neighbours and creating or participating in community groups can provide crucial support during and after disruptions. A network of community contacts can offer assistance, resources, and information that may not be available through official channels during emergencies.

Learning and adapting

Households should continuously learn from past experiences and adapt their preparedness strategies accordingly. This could involve regularly reviewing and updating emergency plans, participating in local emergency preparedness workshops, and staying informed about best practices in resilience.

For individuals, building resilience also involves developing the ability to cope with adversity, adapt to change, and recover from setbacks.

Generally, there are three levels to this, being resilient, doing resilient things, and becoming more resilient over time.

Forming strong connections with others

Forming strong connections with others means actively building and maintaining relationships that provide support and guidance. These relationships, whether they're with family, friends, or within your broader community, are crucial for offering emotional support during both positive and challenging times.

To develop these strong connections, focus on clear communication, shared experiences, and respect. It involves more than just being in the same space; it's about engaging in meaningful interactions that help you understand and relate to each other more deeply. Support each other through successes and challenges, listen actively, ask intimate and personal questions, and participate in each other's lives.

Involve yourself in activities that help strengthen these bonds, like working on projects together, planning outings, or having regular conversations about intimate topics. Expressing gratitude for the people in your life and recognizing their contributions can also deepen these relationships.

Creating and nurturing strong connections is about building a community where support, understanding, and companionship are readily available. It's a practical approach to ensuring that, though individual challenges may arise, there is always a collective strength to rely on. This strategy is about making a conscious effort to engage with those around you, fostering a supportive and interconnected network.

Finding purpose

Finding purpose and meaning in life involves a deeper exploration of 'being, doing, and becoming’.

This model emphasises the evolving interplay between our existence (being), our actions and contributions (doing), and our continuous growth and transformation (becoming). Purpose and meaning are not singular or fixed; they are plural, overlapping, and mutually informing aspects that give our lives directionality, helping in the expression of our true will and the process of becoming a unique individual with a sense of self.

Being refers to our core essence and the qualities that define us. It's about understanding who we are at our deepest level and embracing our own authenticity. This self-awareness serves as the foundation upon which we can build our sense of purpose and meaning.

Doing involves the activities and endeavours we engage in that reflect our values, passions, beliefs and aspirations. It's through these actions that we find fulfilment and a sense of accomplishment. However, it's crucial to distinguish between mere busyness and actions that genuinely contribute to our sense of purpose. Meaningful actions are those that align with our internal compass and help us contribute to something beyond ourselves.

Becoming is about the continuous journey of growth and development. It recognizes that our sense of purpose and meaning evolves as we encounter new experiences and insights, and connect with new people and ideas. This aspect of becoming is integral to individuation, the process of becoming more fully oneself.

Taking a step back, the distinction between meaning and purpose is subtle yet significant. Meaning is derived from making sense of our experiences and how they contribute to our understanding of the world and our place within it. Purpose, on the other hand, provides a sense of directionality, a forward momentum that guides our choices and actions towards achieving goals that resonate with our own understanding of ourselves.

Understanding that meaning and purpose are plural highlights the fact that we can find them in various aspects of our lives. They intersect and inform each other, creating an evolving mix of ideas, activities and perspectives that adds richness to our unique life narratives.

Practically, finding purpose can involve engaging in activities that add meaning and a sense of accomplishment to your life. It’s about taking ownership of your future and security by identifying what truly matters to you and pursuing it. This can range from personal passions and hobbies to career goals or doing things in the interest of others.

Setting tangible, achievable goals related to these activities can also help you feel a sense of progress and ownership over your life's direction. Achieving these goals not only boosts your confidence but also reinforces a positive outlook towards the future.

It's important to approach this process with openness, allowing your sense of purpose to evolve and change over time. As you grow and encounter new experiences, your understanding of what gives your life meaning might shift. Embrace these changes as part of your journey - the only constant in this sense, is change.

Additionally, sharing your goals and achievements with others can magnify the sense of purpose. Whether it’s through collaboration on shared objectives or simply sharing your experiences, connecting with others can add depth to your pursuit of meaning.

It’s also important to talk about work. Because although generally today, economists see work as an item of cost, employers want output without employees, and employees want income without employment, perceiving work as a sacrifice of leisure and comfort with wages as a sort of compensation, the idea and function of work still holds a significant place in realising meaning and purpose in our lives.

This is because work, in its essence, is more than just earning a living. It embodies the application of our skills and passions in ways that contribute meaningfully to the world. This alignment of work with our core values and interests is what transforms it from a necessity to a source of fulfilment and purpose. It's through engaging in work that resonates with our inner being that we not only find satisfaction but also contribute to something greater than ourselves, thereby finding purpose.

The functions and purposes of work can be distilled into three core aspects :

Providing goods and services : At its most basic, work enables us to produce and contribute necessary and useful goods and services to society. This function aligns with the 'doing' aspect, where our actions create value for others and ourselves.
Perfecting our gifts : Work is a medium through which we refine and perfect our talents and abilities. This continuous process of learning and improvement relates to 'becoming,' where work serves as a catalyst for personal development and mastery of our crafts.
Service and cooperation : By working in service to others and in cooperation with our peers, we are able to be more than our egocentric tendencies. This aspect of work fosters community and collaboration, essential components of 'being', that connect us to the larger social fabric and our place within it.

To put it another way, as Albert Camus did, “Without work, all life goes rotten, but when work is soulless, life stifles and dies.” This underscores the importance of finding work that is meaningful, aligned with our deeper purpose, and resists the mindlessness and zombification that much modern work demands.

Work should not just be about survival but about striving towards perfection and self-actualization. Each individual is born with unique dispositions, abilities, and gifts, and it's through purposeful activity in our work that we can realise our potential and contribute to our process of individuation.

As you navigate your life, it becomes crucial to seek out and engage in work that aligns with your values, passions, and the greater good. This alignment enhances your sense of purpose and enriches your life narrative, making every effort a step towards realising your true selves and contributing to the world meaningfully.

Learning from experiences

Learning from experiences involves taking the time to reflect on the challenges you've encountered and understanding how you navigated through them. This process allows you to distil valuable lessons from your past, which can then be applied to future situations. By analysing both your successes and setbacks, you can pinpoint which strategies worked well and which did not, thereby refining your approach to overcoming obstacles.

Applying the lessons learned from past experiences to future scenarios can enhance your problem-solving skills and increase your confidence in dealing with new challenges. It transforms theoretical knowledge into practical wisdom, equipping you with a more adaptive and proactive mindset.

By making a conscious effort to learn from your experiences, you're not only preparing yourself to handle future difficulties more effectively but also contributing to your ongoing personal development. This approach fosters a cycle of continuous learning and improvement, ensuring that you're always evolving and better equipped for whatever lies ahead.

Staying hopeful and optimistic

Staying hopeful involves nurturing a perspective that views the future not as a predetermined path but as a landscape of possibilities, some things are more or less certain, and others are more or less fixed. This mindset encourages you to see every moment and every challenge as an opportunity to shape the future actively. Instead of being overwhelmed by the uncertainty of what's to come, embracing this uncertainty can make adapting to change more manageable and even exciting.

To cultivate this hopeful outlook, focus on anticipating and envisioning various positive outcomes and consider how current actions can steer towards those futures. It's about recognising that, although the future is uncertain, you have the agency to influence it through the choices you make today. Engage in activities that build resilience, such as setting small, achievable goals, practising gratitude, and seeking out stories of hope and recovery that remind you of the strength and adaptability of the human spirit.

By actively thinking about the future as open to influence, you naturally begin to embrace change rather than fear it. This shift in perspective can allow you to view challenges not as insurmountable obstacles but as stepping stones to potential growth and new opportunities, while change is not just something to be managed but an essential element of development and evolution.

This approach to staying hopeful is not just about optimism for its own sake but about fostering a proactive stance towards life's uncertainties. It encourages you to participate in shaping your future actively, reinforcing the idea that while we may not control every aspect of our lives, we can always influence our path forward through our attitudes, decisions, and actions.

Caring for yourself

Caring for yourself is an essential practice that involves prioritising both your physical and mental well-being. Through nurturing activities and habits that ensure that you're operating from a place of strength and balance, these can support you in facing the challenges and changes life throws your way.

Engage in enjoyable activities : Make time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy and satisfaction. Whether it's reading, painting, gardening, spending time with friends and family, developing a personal project, playing your favourite game, or any other pursuit that sparks your interest, these activities provide a valuable outlet for expression and relaxation, enriching your daily life.
Regular exercise : Incorporating physical activity into your routine is crucial for both physical and mental health. Exercise releases endorphins which lift your mood and help in reducing stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Find a form of exercise you enjoy, whether it's walking, cycling, gyming, yoga, or team sports, to make it an integral part of your lifestyle.
Sufficient sleep : Prioritising sleep is fundamental to your overall well-being. Adequate rest helps in repairing the body, improving brain function, and regulating mood. Establish a calming bedtime routine and strive for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support your body's natural rhythms and promote mental clarity.
Limit digital content consumption : In a world dominated by screens, it's important to be mindful of your digital consumption. Excessive screen time, especially before bed, can negatively impact your sleep quality and mental health. Set boundaries around your use of digital devices, opting for screen-free times or zones within your home to disconnect, recharge and direct your attention on more enriching things.
Practice stress-management techniques : Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can be powerful tools in managing stress and cultivating a sense of inner peace. Regular practice helps in lowering stress levels, enhancing focus, and promoting a state of calmness and balance. Even a few minutes a day can have a significant impact on your overall well-being.

Where are we now?

What is resilience?

Whose responsibility is it?

What needs to happen?

Taking action

Taking action means confronting problems directly by first seeking to understand - as much as is possible given uncertainties in knowledge - their interrelated causes and mapping them out, extending the community of legitimate perspectives you're using to provide and validate information to understand possible, incrementale resolutionary steps, and crafting a strategic plan - in the sense that it's built to respond to change and turn course if need be - to implement those steps.

This plan should outline the actions needed to reduce uncertainty, tackle the problem and where possible adapt or leverage its drivers that are beyond your control, set realistic timelines, test assumptions and hypotheses, and include backup strategies in case initial efforts don't pan out as expected.

With a plan in place, the focus shifts to actually embarking on the journey to doing the thing. Taking action requires commitment, discipline, and sometimes a bit of courage. It might involve making tough decisions, learning new skills, or stepping out of your comfort zone. The key to this approach is to be practical and active, and a commitment to moving beyond just the acknowledgement of issues toward their addressing with momentum, the inclusion of diverse thought and experience, and never losing sight of your desired future state.

What is resilience, and how can you cultivate it in your own life?

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