By Susan Gillpatrick, LPC, CTS, CEAP
Centerstone
Challenges and change are a part of football... and life. How do you deal with unexpected or stressful times? Resiliency is the emotional strength that helps you recover quickly and thoroughly from change and bounce back after adversity. Resiliency can help you win in all areas of your life — whether you’re preparing for a big game, figuring out the next move in your career, or navigating a difficult emotional situation. It is a skill that can be applied to any area of life.
To be resilient, we recommend that you:
- Be optimistic.
In any circumstance — whether related to football or to another part of your life — you are always responsible for at least one thing: your attitude toward the situation in which you find yourself. Your attitude is your reaction to what life hands you, and you can have one that’s either more positive or more negative. You control it, and you can change it whenever you want. Having an optimistic attitude means believing that you can cope with whatever life throws at you and acting in a way that influences that outcome. Having the right attitude can help you be resilient — on and off the field.
- Focus on solutions.
Problem-solvers are open to new ideas that bring about resolution. Sometimes it can be easy to see problems as automatic setbacks, rather than as opportunities for learning and growth. Are you resourceful? Do you take an active approach to solving problems? Resilient people expect change, are able to adapt, and can handle life’s stresses. As a result, they become stronger — and are able to find meaning and purpose in both their wins and their losses.
- Cultivate supportive relationships.
Are there people around you who are caring and supportive, who bring you up instead of down? As a member of the NFL family, you have loved ones, friends, teammates, coaches, and colleagues who’ve got your back in good times and bad. These relationships are valuable throughout life: Someday these figures may no longer be part of your daily life, but they still can demonstrate the importance of supportive relationships — those that encourage our resiliency and our success.
- Enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
A resilient player can take great pleasure in small things. It’s easy to forget that what brings the most happiness and joy in life may cost little or no money. Try listing 20 things that you enjoy doing: Maybe these activities remind you of your connection with others, give you a sense of accomplishment, or are just plain fun. Share your list with a friend or teammate. You may be reminded of things you’ve forgotten that you like to do.
- Live by a sense of purpose.
Do you have a mission and vision for your best life? Are there things you are passionate about that can help you move through difficult times? Resilient individuals participate fully in things that are meaningful to them. They may find fulfillment in their team, their family, or their community. Having a sense of purpose encourages setting and achieving goals for daily living as well as for accomplishing increasingly challenging tasks, related to football or other aspects of life.
- Care for yourself.
Football can be hectic — do you take responsibility for reducing the stressors in your life? Resilient people know themselves and aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it. They are team leaders in their own right, even in ways that may not be evident on the field, and are self-disciplined and able to act independently. Self-care also includes knowing when to take a timeout and refocus on your total wellness.
- Maximize your strengths.
What are you good at in your life on and off the field? Think about how you can integrate those skills and strengths into your life and career. A main characteristic of resiliency is the ability to cultivate strengths — physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional — to positively meet the challenges of life. All people have some natural and enduring qualities that, when put to use, enhance their achievements and benefit those around them. Resilient individuals are able to find the value in resources and relationships in a way that not only builds on their own strengths, but also benefits those around them. Think about looking into NFL resources or, if you are a current player, working with your Director of Player Engagement to identify and develop your unique strengths. Finding and knowing your inner strength is especially important during times of change or tragedy. You have extraordinary potential — you just have to find and develop it!
Resilience is more than just coping. It is growing from the challenges of life, both little and large, and coming through them even stronger than before. Issues such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, financial setbacks, sudden illness or injury, or unplanned departure from the league are the kinds of things that members of the NFL family — and everyone else — go through in life. But just like getting back up after a heavy hit, we can pull ourselves up from tough times. With the power of resiliency, we can bounce back and thrive after adversity, no matter where we encounter it.
About Centerstone
Centerstone, a not-for-profit organization, is the nation’s largest provider of community-based behavioral health care. It provides a full range of mental health, addiction, and related educational services to more than 75,000 individuals of all ages each year. The organization has nearly 130 facilities and 220 partnership locations throughout Indiana and Tennessee. It also operates the Centerstone Foundation; the Centerstone Research Institute, which is improving mental health care through innovative research and information technology; Courage Beyond, which provides confidential no-cost or low-cost support and mental health services to service members, veterans, and their loved ones; and Advantage Behavioral Health, a behavioral health administrative management organization.
About Susan Gillpatrick, LPC, CTS, CEAP
Susan Gillpatrick, Centerstone crisis management specialist, primarily works in the field with clients in critical incident response situations and in Centerstone’s wellness trainings and presentations. She is also responsible for planning and implementing marketing and growth strategies for Centerstone’s Crisis Management Strategies.
Ms. Gillpatrick holds designations as a licensed professional counselor, certified trauma specialist, certified workplace conflict mediator, and mental health service provider in Tennessee and a national certified counselor. She is also a member of the American Counseling Association, Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists, Tennessee Mental Health Counseling Association, and Middle Tennessee Employee Assistance Professionals Association. She is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences, and has had numerous articles published. She received her Master of Education in human development counseling from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. She can be reached at (615) 202-2580 or susan.gillpatrick@centerstone.org