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What is Resilience?

Crises

There are many crises currently unfolding on a global scale. In our eyes this is due to a lack of resilience. Sometimes, we refer to discussing these as the Depression Session. Because if you spend too much time thinking about this you will inevitably end up in a depression.

 

Recently, the term Anthropocene has gained popularity. It is one way to describe the interplay of some of the crises we face, and the role humans have therein.

 

Often, the scale and impact of the increasingly rapid changes during these times can seem irreversible and overwhelming.

Why Resilience?
Adapting to circumstances - Towards more Resilience!

Why do we need Resilience?

For us, this led to resilience evolving as a concept we hold central in our lives.

 

Life on planet Earth has been, and always will be, full of challenges and changes. It is how we view and respond to these that allows for positive or negative adaptations to the new situations.

Resilience for a better future

Long, long ago, after many depression sessions had passed, we struggled with what seemed like an unstructured and chaotic world. We realised things had to change. Over the years, Elements of Resilience as a concept came into existence.

In essence, Elements of Resilience is a framework of 5 interconnected elements. Each one unique and separate, yet inextricably linked to the others. It provides a starting point to work from. Allowing us to learn how to become more resilient.

 

Since then, this new focus on resilience has helped us shift our lives. Our perspectives have changed from what can’t work and negativity towards what can work and adaptability.

 

Our aim is to provide tools, inspiration and practical guidance to anyone working towards more resilience in their lives. We invite everyone to come along for the journey!

Resilience defined in more detail

What does Resilience mean to us?

”Primarily, resilience to us means that we continually try to rethink and reshape our lives where possible or necessary. Also, it means that we realise that everything is interconnected. We can’t see ourselves as separate from the rest of the living world.

Resilience definition in detail

Often, resilience is understood on three different levels: system, community and individual.

  • Firstly, on a systems level resilience can be defined as: “the capacity of an ecosystem to tolerate disturbance without collapsing to a qualitative different state. It describes the degree to which the system is capable of self-organization, learning and adaptation”.

 

  • Then, on a community level “resilience is related to processes and skills that result in good community health outcomes, in spite of negative events, serious threats and hazards.

 

  • And, for individuals, resilience is closely linked to the way ‘health’ can more completely be defined: “The ability (of humans) to adapt and to self-manage in the face of physical, emotional and social challenges of life.”

Depression Session / Lack of Resilience

  • Resilience should be the focus but isn’t, hence these problems:
  • Climate crisis – what can we say?
  • Biodiversity loss – or the 6th mass extinction event.
  • Environmental pollution – air, water, light.
  • Plastic is everywhere – from deep sea to placentas
  • Systemic inequality – hyper concentration of wealth and power
  • Institutionalised racism – and all other forms of discrimination
  • Rampant disease – pandemics, antibiotic resistance and chronic & infectious diseases
  • The obesity epidemic – alongside chronic malnutrition and hunger
  • Loss of healthy soils – due to soil erosion, deforestation and agriculture
  • Large-scale deforestation – due to logging and forest fires
  • Resource depletion – every resource is finite on our planet
  • Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc?
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