How to be Resilient when Life is Hard! ACT Formula
Sometime life throws you a curve. Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was shocked. I hate this diagnosis, but it is what it is. I am choosing to create a healing plan and be resilient.
Sometimes life is difficult. I can whine about it or I can find ways to make something good come out of this experience. I have a choice. So, what are some ways I can become more empowered and make a difference? I am offering a series of blogs on skills and tools to become more resilient. I have found the technique, The ACT Formula helpful for me. I hope you will too.
ACT Formula
Years ago I read a book, Rapid Relief from Emotional Distress, by Gary Emery, PhD & James Campbell, M.D. We can’t control events or other people in our lives but we can choose our response. We are better able to make decisions and take action when we are not in emotional distress. I have found their ACT Formula helpful in my life when I recognize I don’t like the way I am feeling. The ACT Formula has 3 steps:
A – Choose to Accept Your Current Reality. Denial does not give you any personal power. For example, I hate this diagnosis. I don’t want to be doing this and spending my summer this way. However, it is what it is. Sticking my head in the sand and denying it won’t help.
Acknowledge your feelings and feel them. First you need to recognize your feelings and not ignore them. Part of emotional intelligence is using our feelings as feedback to help us identify what we want to change & make a different choice in our life. It is important to accept the current reality.
C – Choose to Create your Vision. I choose to heal and thrive from this experience. I will create my own healing plan. I do not have to follow standard treatment if it doesn’t make sense to me. I was able to shrink my tumor before surgery using non-traditional methods. I will make a plan that is best for me.
T – Choose to Take Action. Vision without taking action creates nothing. We can get upset, we can pray and have good intentions but nothing changes unless we take steps to create our vision. Each action step you take is something you can do. I am doing my research on potential risks and benefits for each potential healing step. I do know that people who take charge of their healing plan have higher rates of survival and are more resilient. I choose to be empowered.
I have found this technique to be very effective when life is hard. I don’t feel stuck or sorry for myself. I feel more in control and enjoy more personal power.
Next time that you are in a difficult situation, do this technique. Be empowered.