I remember once picking up an old photo album from the coffee table and thumbing through the pictures of my childhood. This time, the captioned dates and locations caught my attention. In 1951 I was in Arizona, 1952 Oklahoma, 1953 San Diego, 1956 Brazil, 1959 Alabama, 1963 Hawaii, 1966 Illinois. Change had been a way of life back then.

Every time I made friends, got attached to a house or my bedroom or bonded with a teacher, my dad would announce that it was time to pack up and move. Such was the life of an Air Force family. I accepted it as the way things were. I would walk into each new school wondering which of those faces belonged to my new best friend. Though I was young and just doing what came naturally, I think now that I’d somehow made a conscious decision to be optimistic and to make the best of the situation.

Being flexible, being open, and shifting your mindset is a powerful choice that unlocks endless possibilities in life. Though it may not seem obvious at first, cultivating this mental flexibility is the key to thriving in any circumstance.

Resilient people consciously adopt an empowering attitude that allows them to react constructively to ever-changing situations. They understand that the thoughts and images they hold in their mind shape their emotions, mindset and resulting behaviors. Resilient individuals have an unshakable belief that their quality of life is determined not by external events, but by how they choose to respond to what life brings their way.

Take working out as an example. Your ability to have an effective workout depends entirely on your mindset going into it. If you dread going to the gym because of insecurities about your workout clothes or jealousy over an athletic beauty, you sink into a negative mental state that sabotages your workout. However, if you visualize connecting with a friend there or anticipate an amazing class with your favorite instructor, you enter an uplifted mindset primed for a powerful workout. Your behaviors flow from your predominant mental-emotional state – energized enthusiasm or lethargic anxiety.  

It’s a cycle of empowerment or disempowerment. When you have a fantastic workout, you feel vibrant and perceive the world with zest and positivity, reinforcing the mindset to prioritize self-care. 

You hold the power to interpret events in a way that propels you forward or holds you back. Your perspective crafts your reality. Choose brilliance.