In the most recent episode of the Meet the Moment Podcast, Hannah and I interviewed Dr. Samira Rajabi. Samira is an incredibly talented researcher and scholar who focuses on trauma and digital media.
During the episode, Samira brought up a really interesting and thought-provoking idea. What if transformation isn’t linear? In other words, what if transformation isn’t actually about forward movement at all?
We often think about positive transformation as action, change, becoming someone new, creating something new, or achieving something you desire. We assume moving forward is an essential part of transformation. However, those things we associate with transformation aren’t actually reliant upon forward movement. You can transform while standing still, or even moving backwards.
Samira’s questioning and observation helped me understand a foundational part of the Resilience Thinking Method (RTM), a belief RTM fully embraces:
Life is cyclical. And, because life is cyclical, and cycles are made up of connected phases, not clear lines on a graph, we aren’t always moving forward because we simply can’t. It’s not possible. Cycles aren’t made up of straight lines. Cycles don’t allow for constant forward motion.
Sometimes, the cyclical nature of life means that we find ourselves moving upward and other times we are moving downward. We move backwards and, yes, we will eventually move forwards. Following this non-linear, connected and cyclical path is a more accurate way of understanding transformation.
A cyclical metaphor of transformation helps us understand what is needed to actually transform. It can also ground us, assuring us that we are still on the right path even if we aren’t moving linearly forward. There are four core phases along the path to transformation, which not-so-coincidentally happen to be critical parts of the Resilience Thinking Method. They include learning, connecting, acting, and reflecting. As these phases show, transformation is not a constant progression upward, but instead, onward; Onward along a cyclical path, in which we move from phase-to-phase.
The beauty of transformation can be found in seeing it as a cycle. It reminds us that every step along the path is OK, and truly, more than OK. Embracing and recognizing each phase is also what builds our resilience. It helps us feel confident, knowing how to respond when things (e.g., stresses, challenges, everyday life) happen. That priceless knowledge--the assuredness of what to do next at any moment along the cycle--is where we find our resilience, and ultimately, where we build it, too.
Click to listen to Meet the Moment Episode 13: I Don’t Owe You Anything with Dr. Samira Rajabi.