🌱 You Don’t Have to Be “Fine” to Be Resilient
Let's talk about a gentler kind of resilience and adaptability.
Hello!
Welcome to our first July edition of Edit Your Life!
Having just about not melted during the heatwave lately… I’m back with this month’s new theme - which, appropriately(?!), is resilience and adaptability.
It’s easy to think of resilience as powering through or bouncing back, but I think real resilience is quieter than that. Less certain, less polished, and sometimes messier.
It’s, “I don’t know how, but I’ll try.” Or taking a breath before reacting. Or making a decision to rest, even when the world says keep pushing.
This month, we’ll explore what it means to stay steady, shift when needed, and honour your capacity without stepping away from your identity.
Because the goal isn’t to avoid change - we can’t do that - it’s to navigate change without losing sight of yourself.
If you find this edition helpful, consider upgrading to a paid subscription, or just help fuel next week’s edition by buying me a coffee – iced pls – here.
Thank you!!
This Week’s Edit: Reframing the Moment
Here’s what I’ve noticed while I’ve been thinking about this topic:
🟡 The second I think of something as a setback, I start shrinking. I freeze.
🟡 But if I call it a pivot, something changes. Not only do I laugh at the thought of that scene in Friends, I get more curious about where my path could go next. I adjust. I remember I’m in motion, not stuck.
🟡 And sometimes, what feels like a step back is just a little space before something shows up that fits better.
I guess this invitation isn’t to pretend every loss is a gift. Because it isn’t.
It’s about finding a way to look at it in a way that lets you keep moving, even when things don’t feel tidy or successful or triumphant.
A Bit of Theory: Growth Is a Spiral, Not a Staircase
You might remember me mentioning Carol Dweck’s “growth mindset” a few months ago - the idea that we can improve with effort and learning, rather than having fixed traits.
What doesn’t get said enough? Growth mindset doesn’t mean constant forward motion. It often looks like:
Revisiting old habits with new awareness
Trying something again, but differently this time
Slipping back and then choosing a better next step
Think of it as spiral learning. You return to the same themes, but from a new vantage point. You didn’t fail. You’re going deeper.
Real-Life Reminder: You Haven’t Gone Backwards
If you’ve ever thought, “I should be past this,” here’s your reminder:
➡️ Struggling again doesn’t mean you’re back at the beginning.
➡️ It means you’re human.
➡️ And this version of you — the one with more awareness, more language, more self-trust — is closer to who you truly are.
Even if the challenge looks familiar, you aren’t.
Quick Edit: If You Do Nothing Else, Try This
💬 Instead of: “I thought I was over this.”
✨ Try: “I’ve been here before - but I’m responding differently now.”
That’s the shift. It recognises your progress.
Let’s Talk
What’s one moment that felt like a setback at the time… but turned out to be a turning point? I’d love to hear it. Just hit reply, or jot it down privately for your own reference.
Next week, we’ll talk about what we lose when we grow, and why some grief is part of progress.
Thanks for being here.
See you next Thursday!
Beth x