Article
Seven Years On, Reflections on Your Oxygen Mask First: Double Your Resilience
October 28, 2024
“A good half of the art of living is resilience.”
-Alain de Botton, author
Once identified, resilience rituals (Chapter 3, Double your Resilience) are fairly straightforward, but when people are overburdened, tired or on the verge of burnout, they are challenged to keep doing them. They do less of the things that make them resilient or stop altogether.
When that happens, the going gets even harder.
Watch the Video: Double Your Resilience
Make Rituals Your Own
It’s been fascinating to hear about all the different things people do for themselves to build their resilience, outside of exercise, which is typical for 90% of people.
These are the hobbies, passions or activities that take their minds to a completely different place. One of my favourites is an A Player executive, in India, who waters his grass by hand to see how green it can be (ideally greener than his neighbours). This small, regular act is his version of a mediative break.
Resilience rituals seem to be much harder – although potentially even more important – for families with young children, especially when they are involved in their very active years with sports and after school activities.
Two things seem to make a difference for people:
- Doing rituals either early in the morning before their day gets going or at the end of their day, before they go to bed.
- Overcoming a sense of guilt or selfishness when they take time for themselves. This is one of the biggest obstacles.
Whatever the obstacle, the main thing to do is to figure out those few things that matter most to you and do them consistently – especially when times are challenging.
The Challenge
- Currently, how good are you at continuing to build and maintain your resilience?
- What one thing can do you do be notably better?
Your Oxygen Mask First Resources
- Page 51: Five Steps to Resilience Mastery
- Your Oxygen Mask First Workbook
Other Blogs
- Building a Culture that Supports Mental Health
- What is Your Holiday Recovery Ritual or Plan?
- Are You Getting Seven Kinds of Rest?
Older Podcasts
About Lawrence & Co.
Lawrence & Co. is a growth strategy and leadership advisory firm that helps mid-market companies achieve lasting, reliable growth. Our Growth Management System turns 30 years of experience into practical steps that drive clarity, alignment, and performance—so leaders can grow faster, with less friction, and greater confidence.
About Kevin Lawrence
Kevin Lawrence has spent three decades helping companies scale from tens of millions to hundreds of millions in revenue. He works side-by-side with CEOs and leadership teams across North America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Europe, bringing real-world insights from hands-on experience. Kevin is the author of Your Oxygen Mask First, a book of 17 habits to help high-performing leaders grow sustainably while protecting their mental health and resilience. He also contributed to Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0). Based in Vancouver, he leads Lawrence & Co, a boutique firm of growth advisors.