🌱 Harnessing Your Neurodiversity Gifts 🌱
Unleashing Resilience
Resilience is an essential trait in any professional: resilience stops us from taking constructive criticism to heart, it gives us the energy and willpower to complete lengthy or challenging tasks, and it helps us stay strong and positive in the face of adversity.
In short, our resilience is there for us whenever things don’t go to plan. In the world of business, this can happen frequently. For neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse professionals alike, resilience is essential because it allows us to successfully navigate the frequent challenges of work and life.
You might look at others and be envious of the way that they embrace challenges, or for the way in which problems seem to bounce straight off them. However, you should remember that - like so many other traits that can help you achieve your true potential, resilience is something that you can actively nurture and develop.
In this article, I will share the top five reasons why professionals struggle to build resilience, as well as provide transformative solutions to overcome them.
Perfectionism and Fear of Failure
Many professionals struggle with perfectionism and fear of failure, which hinders the development of resilience. They set impossibly high standards and become overwhelmed by the fear of making mistakes.
Instead of adopting this way of thinking, consider trying on a new mindset where you could embrace the power of progress over perfection. Shifting your focus to learning and growth - and recognize how every ‘failure’ represents an opportunity for improvement.
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." -Michael Jordan:
Lack of Self-Care and Boundaries
Neglecting self-care and failing to set boundaries can quickly deplete your resilience. Professionals often prioritize work over their well-being, leading to burnout and a reduced ability to “bounce back”.
It’s vital to practice self-care as a non-negotiable aspect of your routine and to set clear boundaries to protect your time and energy. Remember that taking care of yourself is not selfish, but necessary for long-term success; it could be seen as an investment in your future success.
Difficulty Managing Stress
Stress is one of the most potent resilience-draining factors. Non-neurodiverse and ADHD professionals alike may face difficulties in managing stress effectively, leading to burnout and diminished resilience.
One way to prevent burnout is to think about how you could develop stress-management techniques that work for you - such as mindfulness, exercise, and seeking support. Find the right balance for you and implement strategies to recharge your energy and maintain focus.
Not sure where to start? Check out my article on thriving in the face of stress to discover powerful strategies to ensure that stress doesn’t erode your resilience and inhibit your success.
Lack of a Supportive Network
Building resilience is easier with a strong support system in place. Neurodiverse and ADHD professionals in particular may struggle with a lack of understanding or support from colleagues and friends.
In these situations, try to seek out like-minded individuals who can provide encouragement, guidance, and empathy. Surround yourself with a supportive network that uplifts you during challenging times.
Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt
‘Imposter syndrome’ - the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite exhibiting talent and success - is not just a modern buzzword.
Imposter syndrome is a form of self-doubt, and self-doubt affects us all in different aspects of our lives. You might experience self doubt in your professional career, but it’s also common to feel self-doubt when it comes to relationships or when thinking more generally about the future.
Self-doubt hinders resilience because it creates a negative self-perception and limits belief in your own abilities. If you don’t truly believe that you can overcome challenges, how can you react positively when faced with them?
To combat imposter syndrome, it’s important to regularly celebrate your achievements and acknowledge your strengths. Things to celebrate might include everything from major career accomplishments, to simply ticking off everything on your to-do list that day.
Unleash resilience and take the next step
During their professional career, nearly everyone will experience resilience-draining circumstances like those described above. Even a person who appears supremely confident on the outside can harbor self doubt on the inside. Whether you’re a junior employee or seasoned professional, it’s vital that you take steps to build and maintain resilience.
However, I also want to acknowledge that resilience can be especially challenging for CEOs and executives, or for those with neurodiversity such as ADHD. The mounting pressures of a leadership role can quickly erode resilience, while being surrounded by those who think and work differently to you can damage self-confidence for those with ADHD.
I hope that this article helps neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse leaders alike to identify common barriers to building resilience and to use simple techniques to overcome them.
Building resilience is an essential part of helping you embrace new opportunities and make the next chapter of your life the most successful yet. Find out how the Bloom Signature Method™ can help you realize your purpose, impact, and legacy in this world.
Schedule a complimentary consultation with me today - I’m excited to talk about what we can achieve together!
I'm Here to Help You Thrive
I help neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse leaders Bloom into their next exciting chapter of their lives. From feeling stressed and burnt out, to excelling in life and in business so that they can make a greater impact in the world. 🌸 -Kate