Connections, Connections, Who’s Got the Connections?

The next step beyond the Confidence Factor and the Competence threshold there is the Connection. Now how I mean Connection comes in three parts.

A) Connection to the Subject Matter B) Connection to the Actual Practice and C) Connection to others, living and with those who came before us. We will take on the latter first and go from there.

Connection to Others, Living and Those Who Came Before Us

The world seems to be going in the opposite direction, with the world as intimately connected as it has become both communications, and fiscally you would think the opposite to be true. With all the identification politics and hyphens in titles, names, and identities themselves it seems we are all looking to disconnect. Although rival political and societal ideologies are doing their darnedest to keep us apart, we are in need to be keeping those connections tightly knit.

For those of us living, this is the reason why we would even consider being resilient if it wasn’t for others in our lives that would need us in times of stress or catastrophe. The desire to live for others and assist them in their times of want is a HUGE part of finding that resilient backbone within you. All of us crave that connection, and we need to live so that we can have a family (blood-related or not) that we continually connect with and with which we keep in consistent contact.

In relation to those living and breathing presently, we also need to be willing to open our circle of influence to a greater number as they present themselves in being drawn to us. The strength you will exude as you work on being and staying resilient will attract others who desire to have that in their lives or to live up to your example.

As for those that have gone before us, it is still worth the while to be able to know who they were who lived so that you could have a place on this green globe. Our Ancestors nearer to us as well as hundreds of years in the past have a direct effect upon who we are. Whether it is the genetics we inherited from them, the circumstances that we find ourselves in (geographically speaking of course), and the lessons that have been passed down from generation to generation (knowingly or unknowingly) have a direct impact on you and me.

Seek them out, get to know them. Search out if they left a record, a journal, letters, or pictures that can get you closer to them. I can’t say how precious it is to read my grandfather’s World War I journal while he served in France over 100 years ago! Cherished words to this day. Conversely, your life’s experiences will have a direct impact on those that come after you. Wittingly, or unwittingly your decisions in your life, how you approach family, how you feel and know about the important things of life e.g. religion, politics, love, and the list could go on and on. Leave a lasting record for them to get to know you. Don’t just write a blog and call it good either. There will come a point where things in electronic forms will not be accessible. Get something tangible that your grandkids and great-grandkids can cherish as I do my grandpa’s WWI journal. Connections from the past, and to those in the future are why we do and practice the skills and life hacks that we do… right?

Connection to the actual subject matter at hand is key to actually the Competence portion. All the years I had to do Algebra in school, I truly had no idea, nor did I want to find out, how I was going to use the subject matter in real life. I saw no application for it in what I was interested in, so I put no effort into it. And lo, and behold! I can’t remember a stitch of the finding the solution for X!

The same rings true to the things that can make life more worthwhile to live and keep that Resiliency reinforced. If you are disconnected from what it truly takes to live life. To get food, water, or clothes on your back. What you need to do to build from scratch your shelters, and tools, and machines. What can be of the most benefit for you to live a disease-free, robust life even if you don’t have a penny to your name. If you settle for the route of what is normal in society now, when the abnormal happens, you can be most literally be left out in the cold.

Get yourself closer to those things that make each day a better experience. Seek out a rancher and buy yourself half a side of beef and look to cut it up yourself for the different types of cuts of meat. Look to gather as much as you can the water you have coming from the sky and off your roofs. You’ll see how precious that liquid can be. Gather around yourself those tools that will be able to make those things you have become accustomed to. When you have a direct connection to the subject matter, tanning hides, or preservation of veggies from the garden you will get a grander appreciation for each.

And lastly, the Connection to the Actual Practice. We have all seen them, those that are better flapping their gums than actually chewing the food… they can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk… or anyone that is in academia know it in theory but hasn’t a clue of it in practice. You actually need to physically connect to what you want to be resilient in.

With a certain skill set, or a particular talent you actually need to do it. There is no couch potatoeing here! To be resilient you actually need to put it into practice. It is like a muscle you need to keep in good condition, so it can be ready when it truly is needed.

Connections, Connections, Do You Have the Connections?

Take an honest look, and where you find yourself wanting, then get on the ball and reinforce where you may be weak. Fortify your connections and you are well on your way of being AND staying resilient.