When our circumstances change or we experience adversity, how quickly we can bounce back depends on a variety of factors that make up our inner emotional resilience.
Liz Truss has made herself infamous as the shortest-serving PM in 200 years. By any standard, that’s not an accolade many would be proud of.
So how might she be feeling now? And what will determine how quickly she bounces back?
Power affects everyone. It’s well known that gaining power changes behaviour and outlook. Studies show people become less empathetic and are more likely to behave in ways that would be considered socially unacceptable for someone not in a position of power.
Loss of status will impact everyone. Here are some of the ways of getting and losing power can affect you.
Loss of self-esteem
If your status is linked to your sense of self-worth, you will experience a loss of self-esteem. Your self-worth can take a hit. This can mean you’ll be less likely to be outgoing or desire to be visible.
Risk-taking
Your change of status might make you less likely to take risks. You might shy away from making similar mistakes. However, the opposite can also be true, as you might be more likely to mask your feelings by being more visible and vocal. You might engage in higher-risk behaviour in an attempt to regain it. In essence, you have less to lose.
Shame
It’s possible that Liz may be experiencing feelings of shame. Her actions were viewed poorly by others and she received a lot of criticism. When people hold power, they are less empathetic and influenced less by the feelings of others. So, when she was in power, she didn’t care much about what people thought. Now that she has lost power, she may be more sensitive to the criticism she’s getting.
Physical health
There’s a strong link between status and both mental and physical health. Now that Liz has lost her status and power, she may not only feel emotionally raw but also be more susceptible to illness. Anything from the common cold, flu, or even more serious can happen depending on her baseline health.
Emotional Resilience
Liz’s ability to bounce back is largely determined by her emotional resilience. This is made up of mindset, emotional well-being, support structure, and if she has any trauma stored in her neurology from past events. All of these determine our ability to bounce back from challenges.
Life is full of challenges – are you ready to meet them?
Dr Lisa Turner
