Three Steps to Building Resilience with Kris Langworthy

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, here’s a simple yet powerful framework I like to call the AAA of Resilience.

1. Acknowledge What’s Hard

Stop suppressing your pain. Resilience begins with honesty. Acknowledge your feelings, your fears, and your challenges. Maybe you're navigating loss, financial struggles, an illness, or disappointment. Whatever it is, name it.

Think about this like trying to hold a beach ball underwater. Pretending the pain doesn’t exist will only make it resurface with more pressure. Take a moment to breathe, cry if you need to, and allow yourself to admit what hurts.

Even scripture reminds us to come as we are. King David, often called a man after God’s own heart, expressed his heartbreak and struggles openly in the Psalms. Acknowledging pain doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human.

2. Affirm Where You Want to Go

Once you’ve acknowledged your circumstances, remind yourself of your bigger vision. Who do you want to become? What kind of life are you striving to create?

Affirmations are a way to realign yourself with truth. While pain may be part of the story, it’s not the whole story. You are designed for more. Speak life over your situation, affirming truths like:

• "I am an overcomer, not a victim."

• "This season is refining me, not defining me."

• "I am being prepared for something greater."

Affirmations aren’t about ignoring reality. They’re about standing firm in hope, even when reality feels far from ideal.

3. Take Aligned Action

Acknowledging your pain and affirming your desires are important, but resilience doesn’t stop there. It calls for movement. Even the tiniest of steps can shift your momentum.

Ask yourself, "What’s one small thing I can do today to move forward?"

• Maybe it’s calling a trusted friend for encouragement.

• It could be journaling your thoughts to process emotions.

• Or perhaps it’s simply choosing to laugh, enjoy a good meal, or take a walk in nature.

Action, no matter how small, helps break the paralysis that often comes with adversity. Over time, these actions multiply into significant transformation.

Leaning Into Community

You weren’t meant to walk through hard seasons alone. One of the most powerful ways to cultivate resilience is by surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and speak life over you. Find mentors, coaches, or friends who remind you of your worth and help you stay aligned with your higher calling.

Resilience isn’t about knowing all the answers. It’s about trusting you’ll figure things out as you go and leaning into support when you need it most.

The Power of Expectancy

What are you expecting for your life? Are you looking for the good, or are you seeing only the obstacles?

One of my favorite stories is about a little boy who, despite facing a pile of manure (yes, you read that right), excitedly starts digging. When asked why, he replies, "With all this manure, there’s got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

Life often hands us our own “piles of manure.” But like that little boy, we too can choose to search for the good hidden inside any challenging situation.

Expectancy isn’t blind optimism; it’s an act of faith. It’s believing that even through the hard stuff, there are treasures waiting to be uncovered.

Turning Pain into Purpose

One thing I’ve learned through my own story is that there’s a redemptive purpose in our pain.

When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, it felt like everything was falling apart. But through that storm, I discovered an incredible testimony of resilience, growth, and God’s goodness. It even led me to pursue work as a coach, helping others find strength and clarity during their hardest seasons.

The truth is, your hardest moments often plant the seeds for your greatest breakthroughs. Don’t discount the stories you’re creating right now.

Trust the Process

Resilience isn’t about sprinting through the hard stuff; it’s about trusting the process. Take it one day at a time. Partner with mentors, coaches, or guides to help you discern the next steps in your journey.

And remember this simple yet profound truth: you’re capable of far more than you know.

Find Strength and Clarity Today

If you’re navigating a season where the ground beneath your feet feels unsteady, pause for a moment. Reflect on how you’ve overcome challenges in the past. Trust in your ability to rise again.

For those seeking more personalized support, I’d love to help guide you through this process. Whether you’re a small business owner trying to grow or an individual seeking clarity in life, know that resilience starts with taking that first courageous step.

Want to take your next step? Connect with me at Impact Zone Strategies. Together, we’ll catch the wave and use it to propel your life forward.

Want more from Kris? Check out this podcast interview we did together.