What Actually Builds Resilience: Pressure, Process, and Purpose Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction Let’s step back. Up to now, this series has focused on you—the individual reader. Your internal dialogue. Your emotional load. Your capacity to fall apart and rebuild. That work matters. But if resilience is real, it doesn’t stay static. If...
Tag Archives: positive psychology
The Resilience Rant: Reclaiming and Reframing Part 4
Resilience Isn’t Just Bouncing Back (Eggs Break, Tennis Balls Bounce) Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction There’s something quietly seductive about the phrase “bouncing back.” It conjures images of recovery, strength, even speed: someone knocked down by life who springs right back to where they were, untouched and unchanged. It’s the fairy tale...
The Resilience Rant: Reclaiming and Reframing Part 3
Resilience Isn’t Pre-Determined Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction One of the more seductive critiques of resilience goes like this: “It’s all predetermined. You either have it or you don’t. It’s baked into your DNA, your childhood, your trauma history, your bank account, or your ZIP code.” Now, is there some truth in...
The Resilience Rant: Reclaiming and Reframing Part 1
Why We Won’t Throw Out Resilience Just Because Some People Misuse It Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction Resilience gets a bad rap these days—and not without reason. In recent years, especially in conversations about trauma, adversity, and systemic harm, the concept of resilience has sometimes been used to shame people rather than...
7 Dirty Words Part 2: The Trap of Absolutes: How “Always” and “Never” Limit Your Thinking
Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction “Always” and “Never”: Opposites That Work the Same Way “They always leave me out.” “I’ll never be good enough.” At first glance, “always” and “never” might seem like opposites. One declares constancy, while the other implies impossibility. Yet, these words share a common function: they are absolutes...
Stop Shoulding All Over Yourself: 7 Dirty Words Part 1
Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Take control of the “Shoulds”: Aligning Expectations with Reality In our introductory installment of “The seven dirty words” we discussed a general approach to building mindfulness and becoming aware of using the words. Our mindfulness exercise focused on assessing your personal energy level and emotional state preceding the...