Blog Post 9 - Building Resilience

    This week, we introduce the topic of healthcare within communication ethics. This topic is especially prevalent in modern society with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. The three articles available for reading all posed different problematic patterns within healthcare around the world and offer solutions to remedy these issues. I found the Chávez and Zabalegi articles to be powerful reads as they both highlight marginalized communities and the impact healthcare has had on them. However, I wanted to look into the Newman article as it provides accessible, scientific solutions to emotional pain and adversity. 

    "Even for the relatively self-aware and emotionally adept, struggles can take us by surprise. But

learning healthy ways to move through adversity—a collection of skills that researchers call

resilience—can help us cope better and recover more quickly, or at least start heading in that

direction." (Newman 1). This introduction to the text, while a simple statement, provides insight to the simple methods of "care" that will propel values of kindness, compassion, and happiness among communities (Newman 1). 

    The author goes on to list the five strategies for building resilience during adversity. These include changing the narrative, facing your fears, practicing self-compassion, meditation, and cultivating forgiveness (Newman 1-7). While simple, these tools have been studied by professionals and have been proven to not only aid in the grieving process and adversity but well-being in general. One aspect of this text that I think is important to note is the accessibility of these remedies. Healthcare is an incredibly controversial ethical debate in today's culture and many communities and individuals are marginalized because of the limitations of proper care. These solutions may seem unrealistic or oversimplified, but they are backed by science and offer tangible results if implemented consistently. 

    I remember back in 2020, I was constantly filled with anxiety and oftentimes found myself low energy and on the verge of a cold for most of the year. Towards the end of the year, I started focusing more on my emotional resilience as Newman would define it and quickly found myself feeling more energized and at peace overall. I wasn't completely composed all the time as there are real mental and physical health issues that do require professional healthcare, however, I found my overall composure to be drastically improved by implementing things like meditation, self-compassion, and forgiveness. These emotional releases allowed my body to minimize the mental stress that was affecting my physical form. We as a society do need healthcare in order to evolve and remedy very real and impactful ailments. However, there are tools we can utilize in our daily lives as individuals and communities in order to cultivate ethical care for ourselves and the world outside the realms of healthcare.