Elections Aftermath: Use Resilience to Overcome Change and Chaos.

The 2024 General Elections is over, but its results will impact generations to come.

America sided with white supremacy, misogyny, patriarchy and authoritarianism.

Black men, young and seasoned, if ever there was a time to lead our families and communities through change and chaos, that time is at hand.

It is as a result of our ancestors' resilience, in the face of white supremacy, that we have not only survived, but often thrived in America and across the globe.

Resilience can help you handle whatever unfavorable situation you find yourself in. It can give you the strength, flexibility, and toughness you need to deal with setbacks, change, and chaos.

There is no limit to how far you can go, how much you can overcome, and what storms you can weather when resiliency becomes your strength.

Case study

A couple of months back, I called an old client I hadn’t spoken to in a while. After exchanging pleasantries, he told me about the series of bad luck he had encountered and how he managed to remain strong, face every challenge that came, and come out better than he ever was.

Optimism

He was one of those people who always looked for something good in every situation and always found a way of dealing with uncertainties. So, when he told me that he had come close to almost giving up, I knew he had experienced the worst that life can give.

“Last year I finally took the family on a long vacation just like I had always planned. We were all excited about our time away and we had no idea that that holiday would change our lives forever”, he said.

Change and Chaos

He told me that the first few days were everything he had hoped. He was happy, his partner was happy, they had time to bond as a family, away from it all, and the kids were all over the place.

However, everything changed as they came close to the end of their vacation. His energetic 12-year old son was involved in a bike accident that left him in a wheelchair. “It was the worst nightmare that we struggled with for months”, he said.

They were told that he would never be able to walk again and they were asked to encourage him to be at peace with his condition. His wife struggled with the idea that their boy would never walk or run again and fell into depression.

“Nothing made sense anymore”, he said. “I knew I had to be strong for everyone, myself included and so, I decided to take charge of the situation instead of the other way around”, he concluded.

Faith and Growth Mindset

Each day he would wake up, look in the mirror and say “We can get through this” and repeat the same words every night before going to bed. “We can overcome” “There is a way out” and “We are stronger together” became his daily utterances.

Seeing his wife and child in such helpless states killed him on the inside but he never showed. He continued showing up to work even though he felt like quitting. He was constantly searching for ways of turning things around and of bringing back the laughter that used to grace his home.

He refused to let his son accept that he would never use his legs again and instead encouraged him to keep believing and keep trying. He found a trainer and specialist to help him stretch his legs a few minutes a day.

He also refused to accept that his wife would never smile again and did all that he could to instill positivity in her mind. He would remind her of the challenges that their son had overcome and the storms they had weathered as a family. Every day he would have something good and positive to say to both his son and wife.

Persistent Action

"That went on for months. I never accepted defeat because I knew that what the mind believes the body follows”, he said. His wife healed from depression 12 months later and was now helping him encourage their son and doing all they could to keep him confident, happy, and hopeful. “He’s now using crutches instead of the wheelchair and I know that soon he will be running all over the house with his siblings again”, he concluded.

You need to realize that the only thing that determines a win or lack thereof in difficulties is your response, outlook, and reaction. If you decide that your situation is hopeless and accept that there is no way of changing it, you will lose. However, if you refuse to accept defeat, adapt to change, look for ways of turning your misfortunes around, and believe that you can overcome, nothing will keep you down.

Resilience

Resilience has the power of turning any bad situation around. It can give you the strength and confidence you need to accept every outcome, adapt to it, change what can be changed, accept what you can’t change, take it one day at a time, and make an incredible comeback.

Remember that a resilient attitude is the only thing that can help you deal with change, chaos, failures, setbacks, and pain. It is the only effective weapon that keeps you fighting and winning when everyone else around you is losing hope and giving up.