Building personal resilience through creative problem-solving during challenging times

Resiliency in Creativity

Challenges can either be something that makes one more resilient or challenging times can bring one down to the literal and proverbial bottom. There is a saying that what does not kill one, makes one stronger.

Challenging Times

The work of Bruce Elkin examines how one might thrive in challenging times and states that the key to thriving in these times is "to build personal resilience and develop your capacity to create what matters -- with whatever life gives you to work with." (2011) This is akin to the saying of "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." (Author Unknown) Resilience is needed in times of "financial crisis…climate change, and global warming, weird weather, peak oil fears, resource wars, mortgage meltdown, housing markets collapse, job losses, bailouts, insecurity…" (Elkin, 2011)

When the focus of the individual is one such matters, people tend to worry and this leads to the individual being "depressed, and dispirited." (Elkin, 2011) In addition, those who worry are those who lack in "energy and foresight." (Elkin, 2011) Some people just quit trying and according to Elkin "This leads to a negative spiral down into hopelessness, and eventually, despair, it is a nasty, vicious circle." (Elkin, 2011) According to Elkin, the healthiest and most productive view is to see problems "as raw material for building personal resilience and creating what matters." (2011 ) Complexity is stated to be an integral part of life in that complexity serves to "keep novels interesting, fine wine enjoyable, and living systems resilient and healthy." (Elkin, 2011)

Discussion

This study has examined the literature on resilience and creativity and has found that challenging times and situations results in the individual creatively coping and thereby developing personal resilience. This has also been found to be true for the organization as well. Necessity it has been said is the mother of invention, although this writer does not know who coined that phrase it certainly rings true in light of the information gained in this particular study.

The most challenging times and events bring out the best in most people as they construct methods of coping and effectively dealing with the challenges that present. It would appear that instead of sinking into the depths of despair or depression that the individual with positively oriented thinking processes and coping skills instead allows themselves the freedom to reach deep and to find nontraditional solutions to challenges and barriers that present in their lives.