I wrote about ambitions and ideals in my most recent post about this book. One related thought that narrowly missed the cut for that post was Peterson’s suggestion that people should aim to have strength in the face of adversity rather than seeking a life without trouble. I agreed with this ideal because I’ve accepted that the challenges of everyday life continue to pummel us regardless of any ongoing personal catastrophes. A person who has the ability to remain poised throughout a turbulent time will reap the benefits of this balance each time life finds a new way to reacquaint us with fear, loss, or suffering. Resilience is perhaps the most important learned skill because it gives us a practical response to any dangers or threats we come across during the day.
One reason I use ‘learned’ above is because resilience seems like the opposite of anxiety in the sense that anxiety is a practical natural response to what we know, consider, or believe to be a threat. The anxiety response is a basic instinct that leverages memory to protect us in the future. As Peterson points out, we are often mystified by certain things (anxiety, violence, poverty, drug addiction, and so on) because we don’t give enough credit for how difficult and unnatural the opposite behavior is for human beings (resilience, peace, sharing, or sobriety). The core skill at the heart of resilience is calmness but this begs the question – how is it possible to remain calm given all that life does to make us anxious?
Peterson draws on some of his clinical knowledge to provide helpful recommendations. He notes that the mental challenges of anxiety (and depression) are difficult to manage in the midst of unpredictable daily routines. He strongly suggests a consistent wakeup time and recommends a breakfast high in the fat and protein that the body needs to regulate insulin responses against stress. In the midst of a long-term crisis, he suggests setting aside time early in the day to evaluate how you are handling the crisis and considering where new information from the previous day fits into the overall plan. He stresses that early is best because thinking about a crisis late in the day will impact sleep and reinforce a negative mental pattern. He also points out that anxiety is sometimes eased by either having a plan or knowing that there is time set aside for dealing with a new issue, challenge, or crisis. Finally, if new information comes in that worsens the situation, keep in mind that as humans we are not designed to handle bad news while in a fragile mental state. Instead of handling it on your own, try to find the appropriate support to help address the new reality of the crisis.
One observation Peterson makes left me reflecting on the nature of suffering, the role of resilience, and how it all fits into a larger ideal for the good life. He notes that for the most part, people find ways to handle life’s unavoidable tragedies (death, disease, natural disasters, and so on). However, human cruelty presents an entirely different dimension. Although humans are the only species that cause suffering merely for its own sake, we are not naturally predisposed to comprehend why another would mistreat us. This capacity to cause suffering paired with our inability to understand it suggest that the worst sin is to cause suffering. This conclusion applied in reverse, however, points to perhaps an overriding ideal for all of us to aspire to – prevent and alleviate suffering.
