
Welcome back to the 4th week of wabi-sabi wednesdays! I hope you are all enjoying this weekly series so far, and that you are benefitting from our insights and discussions. Do comment below your thoughts and own perspectives to spark conversation, I’d love to hear what you think!
I now have realised I have yet to introduce myself as the writer of this series for Kintsugi Art Studio. My name is Ranya, I am a 22 year old musician and writer. I love discussing matters on selfcare, growth, healing and all things mental awareness. To me, this series, has opened up an opportunity for me to explore different facets of healing and offer my anecdotes & knowledge to all of you. Do note that what you read are all original content from my own thoughts and take on the topic at hand.
Today, I want to talk about resilience.
Resilience is revered in capitalism as a means of a prerequisite that one has to indulge in so as to survive the corporate world and all of its atrocities. Capitalism on its own is an ideology, not the truth, yet its program is deeply rooted in our sense of self and shame (which has its own repercussions and origins.) This week we will delve into the parallel dichotomies of grit, and its various definitions.
Resilience is pattered by dictionaries as the capacity to withstand toughness, with rise to flexibility and adaptability I.e. the survival of the fittest in a sense in regards to any kind of situation one is in.
When we explore resilience, what comes to mind?
This is what comes to mine, let me paint a picture for you. I picture a man at a desk, late at night working overtime, stressed, pulling out his hair pushing to get his work finished by a tight deadline. This image is what is drilled into us as what is considered to be “hard work”, as well as what is tied to the definition of “success” in hustle culture.
Building resilience is all about developing the capacity to handle adversity, adapt to change, and keep going despite challenges. It is not about allowing the challenges to take over you in any way.
Hustle culture emphasizes a “no pain, no gain” mentality, where resilience is often defined by the ability to endure stress, forgo personal needs, and push through exhaustion with long hours as a sign of commitment. This approach can bring quick, visible success and build endurance, particularly early in one’s career or when starting a project. However, it carries risks, as the constant pressure can lead to burnout, deteriorating health, and strained relationships. Emotional well-being often becomes secondary, and creativity may be stifled over time due to fatigue and lack of balance.
Can resilience and self-care coexist? Can we still care for our minds and bodies while chasing our wildest dreams and desires?
Well, yes. And I’m going to teach you how.
The first thing you will need to do is completely rewire your mindset around resilience. What does the word sound like to you? Does it have a negative connotation? How do you picture yourself when you think of the value?
Think about times where you succeeded in life, whether it was an achievement, or reaching a goal or where you had an event go on that was incredibly fulfilling. You probably worked hard for it, you probably were stressed through it, but at the end, it was worth it, why? Because of the sense of fulfilment you felt afterwards.
Self-care in resilience is essentially implementing that same feeling of fulfilment throughout the process. Making the process the celebration. In a self-care-oriented approach, resilience focuses on sustainable growth and long-term well-being, balancing effort with rest to maintain mental, emotional, and physical health over time. This perspective on resilience values setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and ensuring time for recharge, all of which allow for consistent energy, creativity, and an overall higher quality of life. While this approach may feel out of step in competitive environments, where hustle is often rewarded, it fosters a healthier, more enduring resilience that sustains success in the long run.
This is how you can slowly integrate a healthier way of resilience in your life.
Identify how you define yourself as a workaholic in any way. Do you attach yourself to your goals? Do you define yourself by your achievements? If you do, find other areas of your life where you can gain that same amount of belonging, such as taking care of yourself, finding hobbies, friends etc.
Approach challenges as opportunities to grow rather than obstacles to overcome. When setbacks occur, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” or “How can I improve next time?” This mindset will help you embrace failure as a valuable part of the process. Viewing success as a journey rather than a destination allows you to develop skills progressively and see value in each step, even if it feels difficult.
Start allowing yourself time to rest, Setting clearer boundaries, define work hours, honor breaks, and avoid letting work seep into personal time. If this is difficult for you, it is again, probably due to how you relate to rest and rest without guilt in particular. (This is a topic that i will dive into next week, so look out for that!)
Break down long-term ambitions into smaller, achievable milestones. Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals will keep you focused and allow you to measure progress. Smaller goals prevent feelings of being overwhelmed and offer motivation through incremental achievements, helping you stay resilient and motivated in the face of larger challenges.
Accept that the path to success may require shifts in your plans. Practice pivoting when needed, using feedback and new insights to guide your next steps. Look for creative solutions rather than sticking rigidly to the original plan. Flexibility allows you to bounce back when plans change or obstacles arise. Resilience in success is as much about adaptability as it is about perseverance.
Prioritize reflection and gratitude practices to keep perspective on accomplishments and areas for growth, helping resilience feel like a process rather than constant high-pressure performance.
Balancing these habits ensures resilience becomes sustainable, supporting success without compromising well-being.
Reminder: You are enough as you are. You are not more worthy for being successful at something. You are not less worthy when you fail. As capitalism drives society forward, self-care will drive humanity first. Focus on yourself as a human being and you will find yourself being kinder to yourself through the process of achieving a goal and falling in love with the journey of such.
Be kind to yourself this week <3
By: Ranya I.
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