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Use the ABCDE Strategy to build
resilience.
© Paul T. P. Wong
Life Lesson 9: How do I overcome adversity?
OverviewLife is full of suffering Need to develop a tragic sense of life
Need realistic stress appraisalNeed to understand the Resource-Congruence Model
Frankl’s concept of Tragic OptimismThe ABCDE Intervention
Have a Tragic Sense of Life“In this world you will have trouble.” - Jesus
The first noble truth of Buddhism: Life is full of suffering
Every life is touched by tragedy
Having a tragic sense of life offers you the best preparation for the tragedies of life
A tragic sense of life is an effective inoculation against
tragedies.
What matters most is how you
react to adversity.
3 Common Responses to Adversity
1)Catastrophizing: Creating unnecessary anxieties & suffering
2)Trivializing: Ignoring the real danger & believing in delusions
3)Assessing it rationally: Appraising the situation realistically
Importance of Appraisal Primary appraisal – Is it neutral, beneficial, or harmful?
Secondary appraisal – Is it controllable by self, by others or beyond human control?
Reappraisal – Have I under- or over-estimated my ability to manage the situation?
(As measured by Stress Appraisal Measure)
Resource-Congruence Model
Do I have the needed resources (external & internal)?
Do I have the appropriate coping responses?
If the answer to both is affirmative, then we don’t experience stress
A Case of Exaggerated Appraisal:
The Process of Catastrophizing
Coping with Real Trauma
Religious copingExistential coping Re-telling the storyPracticing tragic optimism
Components of Tragic Optimism (TO)
Acceptance of the bleak realityBelief in the value and meaning of lifeSelf-transcendence (altruism)Faith in God and othersCourage to face adversity
The Power of Acceptance
Accept what cannot be changed
Accept responsibility not for what has happened but for how to cope
Learn to let go in order to move forward
Self-transcendence enhances the well-being of both self and others.
Courage empowers you to expand your hope beyond the walls that confine you.
A Good Example of Tragic Optimism
ABCDE Intervention• Accept and confront reality – the reality principle
• Believe that life is worth living – the faith principle
• Commit to goals and actions – the action principle
• Discover the meaning and significance of self and situations – the Aha! Principle
• Evaluate the above – the self-regulation principle
The Power of Acceptance
The Power of Belief
Commitment = Passion + Action + Persistence
The Joy of Self-Discovery
Learning something new about the self and life
Digging deeper, exploring further, and higher.
Discovering one’s hidden talents and strength.
Discovering the power of faith and spiritual resources.
Grasping the complexities of life and people.
Enjoyment & Evaluation
Savoring small successes and re-assessing one’s progress
•Feeling relief that the worst is over
•Monitoring progress
•Savoring the moments of small success
•Reflecting and reviewing one’s life
•Receiving feedback from others
•Conducting assessments and making adjustments
Growing Stronger through Struggle
Adversity provides a better foundation for life than
prosperity.