1. Cultivate competence

Practice makes practice. There’s no hack to mastery. Building competence means showing up every day, doing the work, again and again, whether we feel like things are unfolding easily or not. Practice self-compassion when you stumble or struggle; know that you’re capable of growth; and continue to show up. You’ll build the kind of foundation that can support you when the world feels shaky.

2. Tap into your innate capacity

Sometimes our minds get in the way of progress, wanting for everything to be perfect before we manage to get anything done. Allow your inspiration to flow naturally; your job is simply to get out of its way. Think of yourself not as the actor who’s responsible for earth-shaking revelations, but as the vessel through which prana (or life force) can move through. When we’re mindful — truly, fully present in this moment — we can tap into that flow state that allows us to discover our greatest potential.

3. Construct confidence

Focus on what’s going well. Nurture positive self-talk. No one ever achieved success by beating herself up; this actually depletes the energy that could be applied to what really matters. Instead, just look how far you’ve come already! Lean into your past successes to propel you into future growth. Every step you’ve taken along the way has brought you to this point. Trust your inner knowing, and give yourself credit for getting here. You know what you’re doing; trust that.

4. Acknowledge interdependence

One of the essential truths of mindfulness is that we’re all related. On a micro- level, this means that the quality of your life, energy, and mind affect mine, and vice versa. On a macro- level, our choices impact and are impacted by the world around us, its living ecosystems, and the planet itself. So invest in the quality of your relationships, whether they’re with family, friends, mentors, colleagues, partners or beyond.

5. Lean into integrity as a resource

Even in moments of great challenge, you can draw on your integrity as a foundational source of strength. Cultivate clear-speaking and truth-telling so that when life gets uncertain, you can draw from that wellspring for energy, connection, and power.

6. Turn to service as a powerhouse

Serving others is one of the richest opportunities for recharging our own batteries. When we’re low, service is a great way to get out of our heads and into a spirit of giving. We’re reminded of the life-renewing energy that comes from offering our gifts, our time, and our energy without expecting anything in return.

7. Keep perspective on control

Mindfulness reminds us that everything is impermanent. Just when we think we’ve got everything under control, life changes! This is the nature of being alive. When we can relax into letting go and release the tight grip of wanting to be in control, we’re able to make friends with what is, even if it’s not exactly what we’d planned.

Meditation is a practice in accepting the present moment, just as it is. Once we’ve done that, we can move forward in the present tense, rather than staying mentally stuck in what might’ve been, or what could be.

And this is where true resilience lies.

Guest post by studio BE instructors Tushar Bhagat, Ph.D. and Rachel Meyer, M.A.

Feature photo by Good Studio/Adobe Stock