Daffodils, spring lambs, resilience and R U OK? Day
I want to work in a culture of resilience, but I also want compassion, understanding and check-ins.
Driving up the midlands yesterday morning and thinking about my overdue blog I found myself grinning at the spring lambs in the paddocks and smiling at the abundance of yellow daffodils popping up everywhere. I find it hard not to feel happy and positive surrounded by signs of Spring and promises of warmer weather.
I then drifted into thinking about R U OK? Day (this Thursday, 9 September) (watch this: https://vimeo.com/574775905), and my upcoming WorkSafe presentation that I have titled Respect, resilience and responsibility WorkSafe Tasmania - Events Calendar. I started to wonder if all of these things fit together?
Let’s see…
Spring (with all of it’s yellow flowers and bouncy lambs), seems to me to be the perfect example of nature ‘bouncing back’ after Winter.
The theme for R U OK? Day 2021 is ‘Are they really Ok? Ask them today.
My favourite definition of resilience is ‘Resilience means staying curious, optimistic or motivated even in the face of the toughest challenges’ - Jane McGonigal. Positive Psychology describes resilience as the ability – and tendency – to “bounce back.”
While some people may have a natural tendency to appear more resilient than others, resilience is something we can build on and improve. Resilience can also be shared and used to support others, we can use our resilience to help those with temporarily low supplies. You don’t need resilience to ask if someone is really Ok? – but it might help to support them and yourself through the next stages.
I want to work in a culture of resilience, but I also want compassion, understanding and check-ins. Because life does come with challenges and I want the reassurance that my colleagues see and hear me and will not hesitate to say ‘R U OK?’.
Get in touch to talk more about daffodils, resilience and your workplace culture - and don’t forget to ask ‘are you really ok’ for R U OK? Day tomorrow (and everyday). 😊