The quality of Endurance is perfect for crisis. It is the inner strength to withstand stress and do my best. With the triple threat of the pandemic, economic conditions, and the unrest of long held racial injustices, our Endurance is certainly being tried.
For the last few days, I’ve been in a funk – one I’ve not been able to identify. Not being able to name it has only added to the funk. I’ve achieved very little each day, and that adds to the funk. Today, I decided to sit in some sunshine and just write. Let whatever just come out as words on paper. Random thoughts, questions, occasionally answers, and a whole lot of feelings just dumped on page after page. Now, my funk has a name. In fact, it has multiple names. What can you do to name your funk?
Endurance is not a passive state where you hunker down and hold your breath until some unpleasantness passes. The definition contains “do my best”. Naming your stressors gives you power over them so you can still do your best. You can face a specific enemy rather than just generic stress. Divide the stressors into those things that you can change and those that you can’t. From my written rant this morning, I now have a few actions on which to focus energy. Acting on those things that I can act on gives me more wiggle room to accept and Endure those things that I can’t act on. What can you focus energy on?
The stressors that are outside of my control are many, and they will probably be around for a long time. And even though I can’t change them, I can change me. I can take action to help with the “withstand” part of the definition. There are things I am already doing. Recognition gives those practices a little more oomph. (Don’t you love that word – oomph? Just saying it makes me feel tougher!) I will do these practices more frequently and more mindfully so I can appreciate my Endurance. What can you do to put more “withstand” in your day?
During this crisis, use your Endurance to put more “oomph” in your response.
