| Resilience, by definition, relates to how well individuals | | | | internet? |
| and systems bounce back from disruptions to current | | | | As another example of artistic practices and their |
| conditions. These disruptions can knock people into a | | | | contribution to building resilient capacities, artists are a |
| different reality, shifting their relationship to time, money, | | | | perfect example of the resilient motivational dynamic |
| sense of security, even their sense of self. Certain | | | | that is set up when people live according to their |
| practices can help an individual process disruptive | | | | mental, spiritual, and psychological DNA. Motivation is |
| change and make sense of where they are now in | | | | intrinsic, so painters sketch, draw, and paint, and |
| the landscape. Artistic practices, for example, include | | | | musicians, actors, and dancers rehearse over and |
| such things as sketching different perspectives, taking | | | | over again. The work has a natural rhythm, and even |
| time to reflect and consider subject matter, and | | | | when it is demanding, it is ultimately affirming and |
| spending time replenishing the creative well by visiting | | | | enlivening and not depleting. This discipline builds trust in |
| galleries and other similar experiences that provide | | | | their abilities. The magic of unconscious competence |
| inspiration. Buddhist thought teaches that what we | | | | brings a total commitment on the part of the artist that |
| resist persists. Rather than being reactive and trying to | | | | refuses to allow tentative gestures. Immersed in the |
| fight or fix things in a knee-jerk fashion, engaging in | | | | work, artists are generally focused and grounded. |
| artful experiences can allow us to stay in the new | | | | They learn to see, not just look-to notice angles, spatial |
| experience long enough to help us to begin to process | | | | relationships, intensity, to see what is actually there. In |
| its new conditions. This isn't an endorsement of | | | | one sense they are intimately connected to what is |
| non-action, but rather taking the pause required to be | | | | REAL in paint, gesture, or tonality. Experienced artists |
| proactive rather than reactive. Life need not be a | | | | trust that mistakes or unexpected events can be used |
| two-step of event and react, but rather can be a | | | | as a catalyst to create something new. They also |
| waltz of three steps. We get a better result when we | | | | develop the clarity to know when a disruption is of a |
| take the pause to put our next "right step" into action. | | | | scale that a fresh direction is a better choice. |
| Linda Lundstrom is an award-winning entrepreneur and | | | | RESILIENCE IN ACTION |
| Canadian fashion designer. | | | | Leif Benner is a masterful goldsmith and designer |
| She is a true entrepreneur with a huge capacity, doing | | | | making one-of-a-kind pieces for his discerning clients. |
| the work of ten people everyday. Linda is a hardy soul | | | | He is one of a handful of young designers and artists |
| who has led her business back to robustness after a | | | | who have a strong client base and who approach their |
| close skirmish with bankruptcy. She used this setback | | | | work in a way that integrates their gifts and talents |
| as a learning experience to improve her business and | | | | with a successful business model. Three years after |
| her life. | | | | establishing his own studio in Toronto's newest arts |
| Linda is a highly creative artist using fabric and scissors | | | | center, the Historic Distillery District, Leif's studio space |
| as her medium. There is also artistry in how Linda runs | | | | was brutally ransacked, destroying everything he had |
| her business. Brenda Zimmerman, author and scholar in | | | | built in one devastating blow.Leif had a young family to |
| complexity, has written about how Linda finds simple | | | | support and from an outsider's perspective, he had a |
| solutions on the other side of chaos to navigate her | | | | hard choice to make about his next step. |
| international manufacturing and retail enterprise through | | | | Leif is naturally resilient, a result of his self-proclaimed |
| ever-changing reality. One thing that contributes to | | | | combination of bull-headedness and unrelenting |
| Linda's resilience is her daily swimming ritual. Her indoor | | | | optimism. To him he had no choice but to carry on. |
| "Swimex" is like a water treadmill in a personal-sized | | | | The work was integral to who he was, and no |
| pool in a beautiful, spa-like setting with a vibrant, | | | | external event was going to be the arbiter, putting |
| beautiful painting in her line of sight. Linda uses her time | | | | choices for his future out of his control. Leif has been |
| in the water to just BE-in a moving meditation. "I get | | | | manipulating materials in some creative endeavor all his |
| my best ideas when I am in the water." The repetitive | | | | life and in particular, as a goldsmith, he has developed a |
| nature of stroke after stroke has a calming effect on | | | | refined sense of what he can control and what he |
| the nervous system, triggering the relaxation response. | | | | cannot. He knows when to call it a day and when to |
| It also creates the space required to integrate past | | | | trust his skill and capacity to stay the course. |
| and current events so that the end result is restorative. | | | | In addition to this tangible, practical sense of |
| When we don't reflect on and integrate past | | | | awareness, Leif also has a bigger sense of purpose: |
| experience, the lingering effects can build and become | | | | He is more than a designer and goldsmith. As Leif |
| a mental, physical, and spiritual drain that robs us of | | | | explains, "I like people and making personal connections. |
| whatever resilience we might have. | | | | The couples who come to me to design their |
| Integrating a swim into her hectic life is very intentional | | | | engagement and wedding rings get attached, and I get |
| on Linda's part. It is not merely about building capacity | | | | the occasional invitation to the celebration. What it's all |
| to handle more stress. It is a way to create the | | | | about for me is being part of that optimistic moment |
| necessary expanded space required for the creative | | | | where people enter into that union." |
| process to occur. It is also a choice for a certain way | | | | As much as Leif's natural resilience helped him to start |
| of living that is integrated, artful, and connected to | | | | again, this alignment with his passion, talents, and larger |
| something larger than herself. Linda does not simply | | | | purpose is what keeps him going. Leif turned things |
| design and manufacture clothes; she gets out of bed | | | | around, and in six months had recouped his losses and |
| every morning eager to help make women | | | | re-established his business with systems and |
| everywhere feel really good about themselves. The | | | | strategies to protect him in the future. |
| time in the water allows Linda to connect to the core | | | | CONCLUSION |
| of who she really is and always has been. The | | | | My final thoughts return to the phrase, "What's it all |
| discipline to return to this connection fosters the | | | | about?" When we open ourselves through |
| resilience she needs to lead a business and in the | | | | self-knowledge and making choices to design our life |
| fashion world, perilous at the best of times. | | | | to be true to who we are, it is amazing what naturally |
| There are many ways to find this connection to self, | | | | falls away and what opens up for us and for others. |
| and each of us can find our own unique approach. | | | | To quote Joseph Campbell: "When you follow your |
| From one perspective, this is critical to an artist's work. | | | | bliss, doors will open where you would not have |
| On the other hand, some people cook or garden or | | | | thought there would be doors and where there |
| putter with vintage cars as their way of slowing down | | | | wouldn't be a door for anyone else." Living artfully is |
| and reconnecting with themselves. The question I invite | | | | connected to purpose, and purpose is the core to |
| you to ask yourself is, "Are you making time and | | | | motivation and resilience. Perhaps Friedrich Nietzsche |
| space to simply BE?" or have you filled your time with | | | | said it best: "He who has a why to live for can bear |
| frenetic busyness or with downtime that is merely | | | | with almost any how. |
| numbing out, such as watching TV or surfing the | | | | |