Have you ever been through something challenging you thought you might not make it out alive? I know first hand on too many occasions what it is like to feel fearful for personal safety, financial stability, betrayed, you name it. However I also know first hand of people that have gone above and beyond to support even when I didn’t ask for help. I also know first hand of perfect strangers that have demonstrated kindness to others because it was the right thing to do in their souls.
Today’s blog is all about resiliency (the ability to bounce back from difficult times) and joy and how they can impact one another positively to help you live a life that you’re truly happy to live. I include what science says, share some personal and professional experiences and if you stay to the end I share about a Journal that I designed specifically for the most sensitive population in the world. Throughout you’ll see some fun GIPHYs to help lighten the mood as I do share about some tough topics and real stories that can possibly elicit some sadness within you. If you have recently experienced a traumatic event and are dealing with PTSD, you might want someone to read this and give you the Cliff’s Notes Version. Here we go… 🤸♀️
#1 Must Know of Resiliency and Joy: 
Know what it looks like to be a resilient person today.
It is important to define what resilience is first. Google has 2 definitions: 1) “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness… and 2) the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.” When I worked at Joint Base Lewis-McChord as part of a Wellness Team for Active Duty Soldiers, Spouses and Retired Veterans I had the blessing of working with a wellness RN Lyn Poppie. She is one of those personalities that is super positive no matter what.
I was struggling adjusting to the opportunity because we were a Pilot program in a shared space in Jensen Gym with bad internet speeds that were always buffering our training videos… and random leaders that we’d need to pack up rooms and be prepared to speak about any random topic. I was in my mid twenties and still had a lot of learning to do. I am type A personality and expect excellence from myself always. I am learning to give myself more grace in newer situations but back then I was really hard on myself.
Lyn helped give me advice about resilience from her own perspective. She said, as a Spouse of a Soldier we learn to flow like water and be relaxed no matter what the currents look like. It was a good analogy I could cling onto because there was so much change going on around me professionally and personally. What she didn’t know was that I was dealing also with PTSD that was undiagnosed and untreated on my own…
A few years prior I dated a soldier that was stationed at JBLM and started seeing his black truck with the plate from the state he’s from everywhere I drove. I didn’t know what was going on until I had a call with one of my friends from high school and she was going through something similar with her ex. As she described it she said “I’m dealing with major PTSD and I need to snap out of it. How do I do that?”
She knew I was helping coach soldiers and figured she’d ask me. It was kind of ironic that I also needed help too. I said, “is there anyway you can change your situation?” She said she “can move out of state”..
For her situation she was in a violent one and a child was involved. I suggested she speak to a lawyer about it and see what her options were if she was certain she was ending her relationship. That was about 8 years ago and she’s now married to a great guy in a new area and has a happy healthy family. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t go through tough times, but she was able to keep moving forward and reached out to a friend when she needed help.
I am grateful for Lyn giving me some coaching advice at work that I could then use to help a friend when I didn’t have enough professional experiences to properly coach her from my own knowing.
What does resilience look like for you? Please share on Facebook and tag us @ The Real Move Happy for a chance to be featured on all social media
#2 Must Know of Resiliency and Joy: Know What Evidence Is Available Demonstrating That Resilience Strengthens Joy.
When we have science included in our knowledge on a topic, it builds out our personal and professional beliefs that things can get better (at least for those higher level cognitive thinkers like myself 😊). There was a study done in 2020 in India Manufacturing Firms measuring resilience from a self-efficacy perspective. I find it interesting their high level executives were included in the data and the results included in the abstract are as follows:
“Results revealed that executives having higher self-efficacy and resilience will demonstrate a positive attitude toward workplace well-being. Self-efficacy and resilience are malleable in nature and get enriched through observation and learning.This study stands as one of the first few empirical works in positive organizational behavior studies that have been carried out on executives of manufacturing organizations in India. Hence, the findings of the study cannot be generalized beyond manufacturing organizations.”
Keep in mind that self-efficacy is one’s belief in themselves in a particular area of life. We can have for example strong self-efficacy in our musical talents and weak self-efficacy in basketball. We can have strong self efficacy in our relationship with our spouse and weak self efficacy in our ability to drive more income.
As Tony Robbins has said often, where our focus goes, our energy flows. If we focus more on improving our abilities at work, chances are we’ll improve at work and then our self efficacy (which positively impacts resilience) will be strengthened. That also means that another area of our life might be negatively impacted because there isn’t as much energy flowing to that life category.
The results indicated that self-efficacy and resilience are malleable (meaning they are not constant but can change based on various factors). They also indicate that this is the first study conducted in manufacturing firms for well-being and resilience research so we cannot take the results and transfer them to other domains like IT companies or schools. Research that is valid needs to be conducted within the context of the environment you want to know it will be effective in.
For me personally, I conducted my own ‘research’ project with my patients because my boss let me be creative and I knew I could help them lose some weight (almost all BMIs were overweight/obese/morbidly obese), and I knew I could build community and bring some joy to my patients because of the way I was designed. The Move Happy Participant Journal©️ (MHPJ©️) I created was intended for adults 20 years-80+ not anyone under that age.
We maxed capacity the first round and had to pass out MHPJ©️’s to patients that were on our waitlist and/or in other halls because they could not get into our group. Psychologists started spreading word also and “voluntold” some of the most angry and depressed patients they were required to join Our Move Happy®️ group 😂😂😂 by the third round to my knowledge but perhaps earlier than that if you called and asked them. Self reports from my patients indicated their moods improved after 16 weeks and some even at the half way point (8 weeks).
Our patients and staff encouraged me to share it with you! So when I give away official copies (MHPJ
) I created for my adult patients, I encourage you to try it out with your students and/or families but I also recognize that we cannot make generalizations from one population to another. The only way I’ll know if my MHPJ is helping you and your audience is if you tell me via email me. I’ll share your testimonial and give you credit on all my social media if you like.
So what evidence have you found in research or in real life that resilience helps strengthen your joy? Share your story on Instagram and tag us @ The Real Move Happy for a chance to be featured!
PS: Read the article about the manufacturing firms and resilience/self-efficacy here.
#3 Must Know of Resiliency and Joy: Know What is The Global Impact on Building Resilience in Regards to Strengthening Our Joy.
There is a great Annual Review of “Life Change, Social Identity and Health” the University of Queensland St. Lucia Australia conducted. It is very detailed in a variety of health topics and opened my eyes to even more ways joy is positively impacted through resilience.
I especially liked reading about PTSD and this phenomenon I had never heard of called Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). It occurs after one goes through a traumatic event often bringing about “life changing experiences {that} provide a stimulus for a reorientation of values and priorities.”
Personally this new term PTG provided a name for what I have been able to do my entire life. In my undergrad after the Army Ranger boyfriend disrespected my values (raped and ruffied if you’re curious), I was extremely sad and not doing well. Over the course of the following semester my professors and classmates started connecting with me and healing started taking place. I took time to heal and wrote things I was grateful for and had a lot of alone time to process the pain.
One day a melody came to me and I began writing the lyrics down. I was beginning to grow into a new woman from the pain and was no longer wanting to live in the shame of someone else’s choices. The lyrics came to me, “I used to walk behind your shadow, I followed close to your path. Haven’t taken many chances, always afraid that you would laugh. But here I am in the front line, devoting all of my energy. And I’ve come to the realization people love me when I’m me. Somebody new…”
“Somebody New” was my PTG that brought joy to me despite having to quit my jazz choir because extra bills came up and schedules didn’t align. “Somebody New” was my PTG when my advisor Dr. McConnell encouraged me to sing in front of my class because she knew I quit choir and knew that wasn’t the best option for my mental health (PTSD and depressive side effects sometimes makes you quit things you once enjoyed doing). “Somebody New” became my PTG when I graduated and sang at the local Open Mic night and made connections to a small jazz ensemble (2 Plus 2 Jazz) that invited me to join their group and sing for restaurants and parties, and later helped strengthen my resilience (and confidence) turning into connections to performing for fundraising events for Politicians in Washington State a few years later…
We all go through difficult times in our lives and it is up to us to determine the meaning behind those circumstances. We can choose to be angry and no one would blame us. We can choose to be kind and shock everyone. We can choose despite all the pain we feel inside to do good to others like volunteering on a Mission Trip.
How has resilience helped strengthen your joy muscles? Please share on LinkedIn and tag us @ Move-Happy (the gray and purple one) and please include your country represented as it’s not just a USA challenge going through difficulties
#4 Must Know of Resiliency and Joy: Know What Are Some Simple Solutions to Promoting Personal Joy Through Resilient Times.
It may sound obvious and super simple but how about let’s look at the bright side of things? One thing I’ve heard many thought leaders say is “it could always be worse.” Isn’t it true though? Our situation could always be worse than it is, so why not be grateful it’s not as bad as it could be? How about thanking God or your own belief system for providing protection and preparing you for greater things to come?
I have been listening to Joel Osteen a LOT lately. This past season I went through things I have never gone through before and would not wish on anyone. However listening to Joel’s messages on YouTube are reminding me that the Enemy is real and does NOT like what I am doing for YOU.
My following might not be that large right now but I have been able to be effective with what I have available. Everything is a test to see how strong my faith really is and how long I’ll continue providing the best value to you despite having my housing in limbo, having my income in limbo and personal safety in question etc etc. I am no theologian however I have never wavered in my Faith. I didn’t talk about God until recently in my business because I believe that God has called me to love everyone and encourage everyone despite what their belief system is.
However, I can no longer contain my beliefs because it is my Faith that has sustained me during this trying time. It is the quiet time I have devoted to God and reading of the Bible. I struggled as a child with reading comprehension and memory loss because of the trauma I had experienced from 3-5 years old. However, God has restored and renewed my mind in ways I never thought were possible.
Mindset is one of the Pillars of Move Happy
. Having a positive mindset for me is impossible if I don’t put God first priority in my life. It does not mean I hate or exclude anyone that believes differently. It means I love myself and my God enough to not be afraid to share what has helped me keep going.
I hope that you do some self inventory and ask yourself what are some simple solutions to bringing joy back into your life today during challenging times. If you’ve never experienced joy before, I encourage you to listen to any of Joel’s sermons. This past Sunday I listened to one he spoke specifically about Joy. Feel free to listen to it here.
So what are your simple solutions to bring back joy during resilient times? Please Tweet us @MoveHappyTeam and the top solutions will be shared in next week’s blog feature and retweeted with your name in the credits!
Move Happy®️Updates and Concert Deets 💃:
The Move Happy Movement Podcast©️ is going strong. Check it out on iTunes , podbean Spotify (1st 40 or so episodes- they stopped converting and don’t have the most current episodes sawwy), and someone added it to Listen Notes #NotMe 😂. We are going strong thanks to YOU! No ads, no bots creating fake downloads. You are spreading the word! I hope to help at least 1 person a day with the guests I bring or when I talk about important leadership topics by myself. Thank you for helping spread the mission of empowering depressed people globally to find their own happiness through mindset, community and fitness!
Once we hit 10,000 downloads I’ll be hosting a Private VIP Concert For Those Consistently Sharing Move Happy®️Content and writing reviews on iTunes! 💃 Check out where our downloads are at now ⬇️⬇️⬇️
#5 Must Know of Resiliency and Joy: Know How Move Happy Can Help Strengthen Your Resilience and Positively Impact Your Joy
I am honored to share something I designed personally for my adult patients in locked psychiatric hospital. They are the most sensitive populations in the world and they self reported feeling more joyful after being a part of my 16 week program. They spread word around the hospital despite the double locked doors.
One patient in particular is a Retired US Marine and Retired High Level Executive in Corporate America, we’ll call him “Stan”. He was in my program the 1st and 3rd round we ran the 16-week Move Happy Group Therapy class and got to see the progress.
I can legally call it therapy because it was co-facilitated with a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and it was billed to the state as group therapy. If anyone has any concerns about this, they can take it up with their Legislator. I have been dealing with a stalker that pretended to be a friend last few months and has since turned ugly. I have blocked them on the phone and email and they continue to email. me. Please leave me and my businesses alone if you’re not wanting to help improve the world regarding mental illness. #ThankYou
Back to the story…
Stan is a no BS kind of man and was not afraid to speak his mind when he wanted something in the hospital. He told me on multiple occasions that I needed to share this program with you. I told him I’d share his testimony and edify him while respecting his privacy and not using his real name. I hope I get to thank him in person someday for his encouragement to me during a really tough time in my life.
During that year I lost my father, finalized divorce, rushed into an engagement with another person that was not healthy for me, had to move probably 13+ times in under 18 months and didn’t have a lot of stability. I was hustling and working hard and grateful for a full time state job. However it didn’t cover my bills and when my relationship ended I had to move away.
One of my last days at the hospital “Stan” pulled me aside and told me, “Erin you will be sharing this program with others, you will be speaking on television next to Joel Osteen, Ellen Degeneres and Oprah Winfrey. You’re better than this place and you’re one of 5 professionals I can count on my hand that treated me with decency while I’ve been healing here. I am proud of you and I know your father would be proud also. Keep going.”
I’m getting teared up typing this because it’s true.
I am not where I want to be yet but I am SO grateful for people like “Stan” that have encouraged me when so many people have let me down.
If you need some help strengthening your resilience today please download a copy of the original Move Happy Participant Journal I created for “Stan” and all my patients. Please share testimonies of using it and the age group and population that you’re using it with to help build out the brand to my email here. I’ll share the best of the best on all my social media and give you a free promo in next week’s blog if you email it before Saturday morning!
So there you have it folks. Resilient times happen to all of us in every family, town, state, country, continent you name it. None of us can avoid challenging times. However, we can choose how we interpret the meaning behind the circumstances. The important thing to do is not give up. Sometimes we might need to call a friend or family member for support. Maybe we need to kick our own butt into the gym or outside for a walk to let off some steam. The more we go through and believe in a better future the more likely our future will be better for us. Believe beyond a doubt that people (even strangers) are rooting for you and praying for you! I know I am.
I hope this blog added some value to you today. It would mean the world to me if you learned something or if it helped you in any way to share it with someone you care about.
PS: Don’t forget to tell someone you love them today…
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