Building LGBTQ Resilience During COVID-19
Sarah A Scala, M. Ed & OD
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Resilience has become a hot topic recently, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. With both the pandemic and political unrest, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and Non-Binary people are seeking ways to endure and succeed in the world. LGBTQ+ people face constant change that can be unsettling.
Years ago, I read the book Flourish by Dr. Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania). Known as the founder of Positive Psychology, Seligman’s research, detailed in this book, explains the importance of resilience. Unlike IQ, resilience is a skill that can be taught and developed. Seligman’s work produced a model for building resilience called PERMA.
PERMA stands for:
Positive emotions can be enhanced by optimistic views of your life.
Engagement is often measured by organizational survey, and strong engagement is proven to have an impact on the business bottom line.
Relationships and social connections also build resilience. When we have strong relationships with close friends and colleagues, we are better able to overcome challenges.
Meaning defines purpose. Work that has meaning fuels resilience and optimism, giving people the ability to bounce back from adversity.
Accomplishment is the last piece to strengthening resilience.
We need to expect that some things in life may fail. However, strong business successes helps to offset failures.
According to the American Psychology Association, there are many additional ways to build resilience. One way is to simply move towards your goals and take decisive action. I find that if I am stuck or feeling down, even taking the first small step towards progress helps me feel better. My decisions are not always perfect, but movement gets me out of feeling stuck.
Nurturing a positive view of yourself and looking for opportunities for self-discovery are other ways to bounce back. When I wake up, I journal and write 5 things that “I AM”. Most of the time, these are positive, including descriptors like optimistic, hopeful, energized, humble, grateful or excited. I also remind myself humbly that “I Am Awesome”, which at least gives me a laugh in addition to moving me towards a positive space. Lastly, taking care of ourselves is a great way to regain resilience. During tough or stressful times, I try to take a break and run, walk, or ride my bike. The world always looks better when I return back to work.
Developing resilience benefits you personally as an LGBTQ+ person, in addition to the business bottom line of companies that you work for, by increasing engagement, retention, and success with organizational change.
How do you or your friends maintain or strengthen resilience during COVID-19? Leave a comment to share.
Sarah Scala is a professional career coach for LGBTQ+ leaders, helping high-achieve individuals address and overcome their career challenges.
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Self-learning on this topic? Check out our new Digital Course Optimism, Resilience and Grit: Sustaining Success at Work and Home.
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About the Author:
Sarah Scala is an LGBTQ senior talent management leader and executive LGBTQ+ coach with 20+ years of experience providing organization development, change management, and leadership development solutions for diverse global and local industries. She is a collaborative consultant, coach, and educator supporting performance transformation of executives, leaders, and teams. Sarah is a methodical, results-driven leader recognized for helping clients reach their highest potential, increase revenue, reduce turnover, elevate business profitability, build competencies, and improve performance. She lives in Boston, MA USA with her partner.
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