Resilience and a positive attitude

I'm still feeling quite tearful after seeing Michael J Fox on Rachael Ray.

There's a lot of debate at the moment around luck and talent, mainly about people (understandably) feeling helpless and fearful about redundancies and opportunities.

But Michael has turned what most might see as a very negative situation into inspiration.

Not only for people dealing with Parkinson's but other chronic illnesses, job loss and any kind of adversity.

His bravery is astonishing.

He has kept his sense of humour but is also clearly serious about finding a cure.

No matter how demanding some of my clients might be, I can't imagine how his CEOs at http://www.michaeljfox.org/ feel - he says everytime he sees them, he asks "How's that cure coming?" Pressure!

But also, motivation...

Whatever your situation, research shows that people with a positive attitude are more likely to notice opportunities.

Neuroscience shows that we're better at negotiating when we feel positive, too.

But we're human.

And it wouldn't be natural to bounce back instantaneously - whether from rejection at an audition to losing a job you've held for decades or having a terrifying health diagnosis.

Michael says he kept his own diagnosis quiet for 7 years but when he came out about it, he realised that he was part of a community. He'd been missing out on support but probably wasn't ready to do it any sooner than he did.

Now, though, he says he doesn't have to lecture his kids about things like resilience as he demonstrates these essential qualities by example, on a daily basis.

Don't try to suppress natural reactions like sadness, shock and fear. Be gentle with yourself - whatever you're going through.

And don't be afraid to reach out for support from friends, family, online forums, your GP or whoever might be able to help you.

© Eve Menezes Cunningham / http://www.applecoaching.com/ 2009.