April 9, 2020 5 min read

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The following article is written by Ben Angel, author of the book, Unstoppable: A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound. And be sure to order The Unstoppable Journal, the only journal of its kind based on neuroscience, psychology and biohacking to help you reach your goals.

We’re all getting used to this new norm, and some of us better than others. This might be the first time your business has taken a nose-dive into the unknown, and you’re scrambling to pick up the pieces. Hundreds of business models are being shared at the moment to help you wade through the muck and mire, but are you mentally prepared for these uncertain times?

I’m going to share ways you can regain traction to help you develop the emotional resiliency you’ll need to move onward and upward. You’ll also discover that this pandemic might have allowed you to clean out what is not working for your business and mindset and apply better practices for the year to come.

Emotional resilience and intelligence are critical factors in your general care that can make or break your recovery from any traumatic event. Part of what we know is that you can overcome crises by learning new ways on how to interact with events that could derail your efforts. 

Related: How to Avoid Toxic Thinking in Moments of Crisis

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

The Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training is all about the evolution of mental preparation, building upon each day to thrive in an ever-changing environment. We can learn so much from this intense training and apply it in our daily lives. Avoidance or resistance to what is happening in your visual field will cause you to have negative experiences. As Navy SEALS states, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”

This advice couldn’t be better in the times we are living. Plans that you created during the beginning of your business may not apply now when so much has changed. If you fall apart when things get muddled, then you are doomed to fail. By accepting that everything in life — good and bad — will eventually change, then you are putting your mindset into a forward momentum. You’ll build a better space for yourself to get creative and devise a new and better plan. 

Awareness of Thought

Reframing our thought patterns from a negative one with a positive one might seem Pollyannaish to you. Still, studies in psychotherapy have proven that learning to analyze your thoughts as positive or negative can help to build a new perspective in any situation. For example, businesses having to cut down employees might find that it’s time to restructure what’s working and what’s not to reposition themselves better in a volatile market. 

It seems easy, but it will take practice to start noticing your thoughts. Spilling them out in a journal can help you pinpoint positive versus negative thought patterns. Once you’re able to define each one, then it’s time to analyze whether they are based on factual evidence or based on fear. That way, you can reframe the way you’re thinking, which segues into the next tip….

Positively Speaking

We’ve all learned how not to speak just by watching how the media can turn an annual snowstorm into a polar vortex. By paying careful attention to how you talk about yourself, your work or other areas of your life, you may be affecting how you react to change.

Notice your typical ways of expressing your thoughts to people or situations. Become aware of whether you’re utilizing positive speech or harmful speech to help you reframe your narrative. 

Third-Person Perspective

Think about your favorite business leader, then ask yourself what they would do to safeguard their financial and physical health right now. To strategically analyze the problem without emotion, take a step back and put yourself in your guru’s shoes. Find out what they would recommend and apply it in a manner that works for you. For all you know, they have a plan already laid out that can assist you when you feel overwhelmed. 

Related: 4 Ways to Turn Uncertainty Into Strength

Journaling 

Don’t let your emotions build up, or they’ll break out when you least expect. Daily journaling can give you that critical opportunity to decompress from a hectic day or help you navigate the challenging day ahead. Journaling can also help to release preconceived notions that aren’t serving your momentum, so it’s an excellent place to dump out your fears and then work on a plan.

Keeping a scheduled time to journal each day can produce positive outcomes by allowing yourself to dedicate time to think. This often stimulates the desire to learn more, like reading or researching how others are adapting to their situation and being innovative.

You can all let this roller coaster ride derail you, or by taking the time to assess your thoughts and actions, you can develop ways to reset and get motivated to take on whatever comes your way.

Are you strong enough to ride out these tough times? Take this 60-second quiz now to see how you will fare, and be sure to grab a copy of Angel’s new daily planner, The Unstoppable Journal, today. It’s more relevant than ever.