Attitude is Altitude

Resiliency

School Counselors:
Christina Barton, Melody Hoffman, Ellisia Kimball, and Carter
Landreth
 Why this course?
• Have you ever felt incredibly sad, confused or
discouraged about yourself or something that has
happened to you?  Had a challenge come your way you
are not sure you can overcome?  Asked "Why me"?  Or
"Why does God let bad things happen to good people"? I
certainly have and I'm sure many of us can relate to one
degree or another.  It can be hard to move on with life
when troubles in your past or present keep you from
having hope for a better future.  We'll be looking at
examples of resilience - the ability to cope with stress
and bounce back from catastrophe. The ability to stay
positive even in the face of adversity.  The ability to find
happiness, direction and purpose - no matter what life
throws our way.
Resiliency
Scientific definition:
Resilience is the property of a
material to absorb energy when
it is deformed elastically and
then, upon unloading to have
this energy recovered.
It “bounces back”.
Let’s face it...
 I don’t have
all the answers.
Or a magic wand.
It’s good
to acknowledge the
negative.
It’s tempting
to focus on the negative.
Resilient people move on.
Moving on does NOT
mean...

you are denying stressors of the

past / present / future
you were never hurt or don’t hurt
anymore
other people will forget
Are you an optimist
or a pessimist?
Optimists...
maintain a positive outlook when recognizing lif
e’s realities
they do not deny their problems
are problem solvers and seek things that can
help them
are healthier and live longer
do not give up despite setbacks or escape into
wishful thinking
keep their sense of humour, plan for the future
and reinterpret situations in a positive light
The good news is that
pessimists can
change their thinking
and become
optimists.
Optimism & Resilience

Is there something good I can take

away from this bad situation?
What can I learn?
How can I use this experience to
make me a better, stronger
person?
Taking Control
 Locus of Control

Internal External
You make Things
things happen to
happen. you.
 Internal Locus of
Control
Believe you have control
over your successes and
failures

Your achievement is
directly linked to your
personal decisions and
efforts

e.g. “I failed the test

because I didn’t study
enough.”
 External Locus of
Control
Successes and failures
are outside of your control

Your achievement is a
result of luck, fate,
destiny, or other external
circumstances

e.g. “I failed the test

because the teacher
doesn’t like me.”
In General...
An internal locus of control is
healthier for most situations

“Internals” tend to be
more successful in school
& in the workplace

It is important to have a
balance perspective &
recognize that some
circumstances are outside
your control
For example...
A Huge Test in School
Out of my control In my control
• What questions • How much I study
will be on the test
• What I study
• How the • Being prepared to
teacher will mark do my best: sleep
it well, eat well, bring
• When the test necessary materials
takes place
Why?
Recognize the things that are within your
control
These are items you can work on
improving
Work on minimizing worry about things
that are outside of your control
This doesn’t mean they’ll go away, but
by refocusing your attention, you will
feel more positive about the situation
Try it yourself...
Pick a Situation
Out of my control In my control
An Extraordinary
Example
Nick Vujicic

No Arms, No Legs, No Worries

http://attitudeisaltitude.com/
DVD available for purchase at store
on website - well worth it.