Resiliency
I hear physical therapists say, “We’re in the business of fixing things…” I have to disagree. I’m in the business of helping people help themselves. That former statement represents what is fundamentally amiss with our society. It assumes that there is something wrong with a person, and therefore, it must be fixed. It implies that we as humans are broken. And believing we are broken continues to perpetuate our faults and inadequacies, despite any attempts to “fix” the problems. If someone continues to believe she is broken, she will convince herself to stay that way. So let’s drop the term “fixing” and drive away from the nocebo effect, to instead help people harness the incredible power of placebo. Whether it be patients in our clinics, children in our schools, or families in our homes, every person needs to be reminded that they are whole.
Life has struggles, and it’s naïve to think that we can get through life without any struggles. The strongest people are those who face their limitations, and work through or find ways to live with them, not ignore them. That’s just ignorance. Having struggles doesn’t make us broken, it makes us honest. When you can look yourself in the mirror and see your beauty despite each flaw you’ve privately marked over the years, you can learn to be resilient in the face of flawed assumptions.
Resilience is a word that people seem to have forgotten the meaning of. Strength doesn’t come from taking the brunt, holding inside, and never letting anyone see that it affects you. Strength comes from humility, when you let yourself fall instead of fighting to stand tall. Let yourself cry so others can see your pain. Then let people lend a hand, so you can muster inspiration for the strength to rise. You may only build resilience when you are first stretched and then allowed to be forged again.
We should not limit ourselves to the assumptions of others nor look upon ourselves as broken creatures. Rather, we should allow others to help us rise above those misconceptions in recognition that we are simply beings in need of each other’s love.
