Even the end of the pandemic , which has finally begun to show signs of arrival , can be a source of stress . A March study from the American Psychological Association illustrated that point , reporting that around half of those surveyed said they feel uneasy about readjusting to in-person interaction following the pandemic .
It ’ s clear that the psychological impact of living ( and often working ) through a major health crisis has made spa leaders , staff and guests increasingly aware of the need for tactics and tools that promote mental well-being and allow for effective responses to stress among themselves and their teams . In a wide-ranging conversation that shared several such strategies with the ISPA community , session moderator Mia Kyricos was joined by Jane Cho , Renee Moorefield and Leigh Weinraub .
clearing up misconceptions
It can be tempting to see resilience as an inborn ability that some people naturally possess and others don ’ t . However , panelist and Executive Coach Jane Cho pointed out early on in the session that this is a misconception : “ We experience suffering . We experience stress . That ’ s normal . And I think the good news about resilience is that it ’ s not
“ We experience suffering . We experience stress . That ’ s normal . And I think the good news about resilience is that it ’ s not some magical characteristic that only special people have , it ’ s a skill . It ’ s something that we can … build through practice and knowledge .” some magical characteristic that only special people have , it ’ s a skill . It ’ s something that we can … build through practice and knowledge .”
It ’ s important that those looking for ways to increase their resilience to stress recognize that they have the capacity to do so with intentional effort , agreed Renee Moorefield , CEO of Wisdom Works . She also pointed out the importance of having an accurate understanding of what resilience is , as well as what it isn ’ t . “ We are noticing that people confuse the word ‘ resilience ’ with the word ‘ endurance ,’” Morefield noted . “ We ’ re mistaking the two of them ; we ’ re thinking if we can just willpower our way through things , that means that we ’ re resilient , and I think that means that we are on a path toward burnout .” Instead of viewing resilience as some sort of toughness that allows us to endure stressful situations , we should view it as the ability to recover from psychological , physical , emotional and physiological stress and “ return to center .”
“ I think a rubber band is a great analogy ,” explained Leigh Weinraub , founder of Mind in Motion . “ How much can you stretch it and keep stretching it before it has wear
burnout vs . rustout
Renee Moorefield taught many attendees ( as well as session moderator Mia Kyricos ) a new term —“ rustout ”— during “ Resilience-Building Techniques with Lasting Impact .” Whereas burnout is the result of an individual facing too many challenges or too much change at an unsustainable level or for an unsustainable period of time , rustout is the result of a lack of direction or purpose . Uncertainty about how to use one ’ s energy and abilities during times of upheaval can lead to a feeling of languishing or being unmoored . “ What ’ s interesting ,” shared
Moorefield , “ is many people through this pandemic , as we ’ re measuring it , often think , ‘ What I ’ m feeling right now is burnout , and actually , it ’ s the other side of the scale .”
— Jane Cho
JULY 2021 ■ PULSE 31