Forget Glass “Half-Full” or “Half-Empty”. Use A Pitcher.

Resilience is a crucial skill in times of constant change and uncertainty.

It’s your ability to quickly bounce back from setbacks and challenges, and getting yourself in a better frame of mind so you are less fazed in the first place.

And the engine of resilience is optimism – the belief in a positive future and attitude to continue to persist.

Generally, I’m a glass half-full person. I really value and seek out an optimistic view – things always have a way of working out and much to appreciate. Whether it’s a big win or a big learning, there is always something positive to seek out.

But there are days I don’t feel that way. And I slip into pessimistic thinking and things seem worse than they actually are – this comes when I feel really overwhelmed with many things to do, when I’m taking bigger risks (and worried that I might not get the payoff) or question my abilities.

Last week I fell into “glass half-empty”. I’ve been travelling more for my business – my choice – to receive training with an amazing group.

This last trip really got me down. I didn’t want to leave my husband and kids. I am a creature of habit and I like being at home. I felt anxious and a bit sad about it on the day before. I wanted to quit. Especially because my son Emmett was so sad about it too.

But I was going – there was no changing that. Already booked and paid and I was sticking to it.

So, I had to draw on my resilience skill and reach for my “pitcher” to replenish my glass.

I focused on the good things – how it would benefit my business, the great new friends I would see on this trip, and that I just came off two weeks with kids on Christmas break so we got to spend lots of time together.

I did some mental judo to stay calm and not take my bad mood out on others and show up in a good, present state for my clients that day (before the trip).

And I considered what I needed – I called my husband to talk about it, decided next time before a trip, I’ll keep the day ahead open to not feel the pressure, and that I will pass on the next opportunity in May for a business trip – and make a family trip next on the horizon.

It’s not realistic to always be optimistic. You’ll slip into glass half-empty thinking – we all do it.

The key is to notice when you do that and “replenish” your glass so you can step out of that thinking and take purposeful action.

Here are a few ways to refill your cup.

Pay attention to your thoughts. This is about self-awareness. Notice whether your thoughts are helping you or getting in your way in the moment and remind yourself that you have the power to change them.

Do some mental judo. Look at things from multiple perspectives and view points to see a more positive outlook.

Have an “I can” attitude– think of stressors as challenges to overcome, and draw on your character and strengths to master your environment.

Step back and figure out what you need. Sometimes you might just need a break to clear your head, recharge, take a new action or get a good night’s sleep to look at things from a more optimistic outlook.

Hunt for the good. Seek out what you can be grateful for in the moment. While it may seem like things aren’t going well, there are always far more good things happening than you may realize. Practice gratitude daily to build your resilience.

Connect. Rely on family and friendships, especially when time get harder or busier to support you. Many people, when under stress, hunker down and go it alone. Instead, draw on these relationships.

People who are more optimistic cope with stress more effectively. They believe their future is bright, things will work out in the end, have stronger relationships and support, and notice more of the good things happening around them.

They also have a higher level of performance. This has been rigorously tested – people who score higher on optimism significantly perform better from increased sales and more rapid promotion to greater satisfaction, etc.

Resiliency and optimism translate into real tangible behaviors and benefits in your work, your team and organization.

It’s not about being a “glass half-full” or “glass half-empty” person; it’s recognizing you have a pitcher available to you any time you need it. And then using that awesome resource.

What do you draw on when you need to replenish your cup? Share in the comments and let me know.

All the best,

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.