Episode 23: Rethinking Resilience

Doing S.I.D.E.W.O.R.K. to Protect Your Mental Health

4.7.26 | Skills | 52 min

Resilience is often praised, but what if we’ve been getting it wrong?

In this episode, we take a closer look at why emotional resilience isn’t about grit, grinding, or pushing through at all costs. We explore how focusing only on individual resilience can overlook burnout, grief, inequitable systems, and the realities of high-pressure work, especially in industries where endurance is often glorified.

We reflect on personal experiences with loss, leadership, parenting, and burnout, and introduce S.I.D.E.W.O.R.K. an acronym that compiles evidence-based mental health and behavioral science research (primarily Dialectical Behavior Therapy) into a practical framework for maintaining emotional well-being before you’re depleted. 

This episode is for anyone who feels worn down by the idea that they just need to be “more resilient.” It’s a reminder that resilience isn’t about enduring harm, it’s about taking care of yourself so life’s challenges don’t completely take you out.

Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media.