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Chelsea Pottenger is on a mission to have businesses prioritise their employees mental health. Following on from last year's popular [Month of Mindfulness ](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/monthofmindfulnessChelseaPottenger)events, Chelsea led a free impact series event for Growth Faculty: **_Resilience Through Uncertainty_** **_with Chelsea Pottenger_**.

The founder and director of EQ Minds, international speaker, accredited Mindfulness & Meditation coach, and ambassador for mental health for R U OK? released her first book _The Mindful High Performer_ earlier this year.

Our _Resilience Through Uncertainty_ event focused on **4 key areas** using tips and tools from her book:

- The science behind why your brain can change

- Building resilience: A self-efficacy tool

- Dissolve stress with this technique

- Grit: How to embrace change

**The science behind why your brain can change**

Here Chelsea discussed neuroplasticity and the ability of the brain to change up until the day we die. Chelsea explained how new synaptic connections form as we try new things or learn new information. The brain will also prune things we dont use. So what we feed out mind truly matters, says Chelsea.

There is always hope for healing, retraining, and resetting our brain, she says.

**_Brain training activity_** : Rotate your foot clockwise, then as its rotating try to draw a number 6 with your index finger. After practising for 66 days $the length of time it takes to develop a habit$ you will become an ankle-rotating-figure-six-drawing champion\!

**Building resilience: A self-efficacy tool**

Resilience in tough times very much depends on your self-efficacy.

In 1977 Professor Albert Bandura put forward a theory: Self-efficacy is a persons belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation.

According to Chelsea, people with high self-efficacy:

- Exert more effort and persist longer in the face of adversity.

- Approach challenges as things to be mastered.

- Surpass insurmountable barriers.

People with low self-efficacy:

- Avoid challenges.

- Take fewer risks.

- Give up quicker.

To build self-efficacy and resilience, Chelsea recommended Meta/Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Dr Adam Grants co-authored book _Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy_ , written after the death of Sandbergs husband Dave Goldberg.

**Resilience-building activity:**

1. **Journal an experience when you faced adversity.** It could be the loss of a job, a loved one, missing out on a promotion, post-natal depression, an embarrassing moment.

2. **Ask yourself Did I overcome it?** 

3. **What did I learn?** 

4. **How did I grow?** 

Doing this exercise helps you to take steps away from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth, says Chelsea.

**Dissolve stress with this technique**

Like an athlete, every high performer needs rest and recovery time to recharge and to reduce concentration fatigue. Chelsea points to the myriad high performers and successful entrepreneurs featured in the podcast  _How I Built This_ with Guy Raz who say they practice mindfulness training.

She says scientific research shows mindfulness practice quietens down or dampens activity in our amygdala, while the prefrontal cortex gets a workout to keep us sharp.

Chelsea recommended the TED Talk _My stroke of insight_ with Dr Jill Bolte Taylor.

**Reduce anxiety in 90 seconds activity**

1. Name 4 things you can SEE

2. Name 4 things you can HEAR

3. Name 4 things you can TASTE

4. Name 4 things you can FEEL

5. Name 4 things you can SMELL

**Grit: How to embrace change**

Finally, Chelsea told a story of not making the NSW State Basketball team when a teenager, and being told by her coach Youre just not good enough.yet.

Chelsea says the yet takes the full-stop off your potential. She says psychologists have tweaked the _Practice makes perfect_ mantra to a more helpful:

_Practice makes progress\!_

**Building grit activity:** As yourself What am I not good at? Then add the word yet. It should look something like this: I cant..yet. However, if I..$actions$success still lies ahead.

Chelsea finished up by saying that its okay to hit the pavement. Not having things go your way is part of a balanced life. Its going to be okay, she says.

**Conversation starter questions**

To keep the conversation going with your team, have a discussion around these questions:

- What are you not good at, yet?

- What actions can you put against this to make progress?

- What will you do to build resilience?

- How can start your day correctly to ensure you are in the best position to handle the inevitable speed bumps of life?

Year round we host live, virtual events with globally-recognised speakers who understand what it takes to become a great leader. Check out what leadership experts have taught our Leadership Pass delegates about [team building](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/teambuilding), finding your [areas of working genius](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/6typesofworkinggenius), [building trust](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/stephencoveytrustandinspire), and becoming a [future-ready leader](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/FutureReadyLeaders). ****

__ _If you'd like to increase your professional and personal development by learning from the best, why not consider becoming a Growth Faculty Pass Holder? Unlimited access to 40 live virtual masterclasses and Global Headliner virtual events - PLUS year-round leadership content at On Demand with videos, podcasts and book summaries. Join a community of knowledge seekers who are inspired by the best. Access $7500+ value for just $498 AUD._[ **_See who's up next_**](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/?promoCode=Blog#liveevents)[ **_._**](https://growth.lightning.force.com/lightning/r/Blog_Post__c/a1d4G000004oYwKQAU/view)

4 Tools for Building Resilience with Chelsea Pottenger

Mindfulness tools and tips for high performers

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

4 Tools for Building Resilience with Chelsea Pottenger

Mindfulness tools and tips for high performers

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired