The 8 Cs of Resiliency—Staying Positive During Difficult Times

It can be hard to stay positive during difficult times—especially this past year. A session at the CLM’s 2021 Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference truly brought this to light. “Bouncing Forward – Recovering from the Emotional Trauma of COVID-19” was an inspiring session that focused on the importance of employer and employee mental health during the pandemic.

July 21, 2021 | Retail

By: Aaron S.

Aaron joined Acuity in 2017 as our Retail Specialist—bringing with him almost 30 years of experience in a broad range of retail. He started his career stocking shelves in the seasonal department at a local retailer. A few years later, Aaron transitioned to a gas station/convenience store, where he worked second shift while getting his degree in organizational communications from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was during this time he made the move to the loss prevention and safety aspect of retail. Over the next 25 years, he worked in various retail segments, including video games, cosmetics/skincare, hardware/appliances, pharmacy/grocery, and clothing. Aaron held several positions during this time, including District Loss Prevention Manager, Regional Loss Prevention Manager, Regional Compliance Auditor, and National Manager of Loss Prevention and Operations. Outside work, Aaron likes to spend time with his wife (who has also worked in retail for over 20 years) and their twin teenage boys. They enjoy being outdoors on the water, fishing, and camping. As the Retail Specialist, Aaron’s goal is to enhance the partnership between retailers and Acuity by showing retailers that an insurance company can be a supportive resource and that Acuity truly understands their industry.

Panelists included:

Alaa Zuaiter – Berkley Environmental, AVP Claims
Lindsey Mills, Esq. - Smith, Mills & Schrock Law, Attorney
Dr. Claire Muselman – North American Risk Services NARS, VP of Workers’ Compensation
David Vittoria – Carisk Partners, Senior VP

The discussion concentrated on resiliency—the ability to manage challenges faced in life. The 8 Cs of resiliency were shared to help business owners and employees keep a positive mindset during difficult times.

Curiosity: Pay attention to the present moment and be more curious about your surroundings. Can you be more present right now?
Clarity: This is the sense of being able to see situations without fearful beliefs and intense emotions. Set boundaries and remember to breathe.
Confidence: Honor your struggles and see yourself in an accomplished and worthy way. Recognize you are doing your best and reward yourself with even the smallest win.
Creativity: Creative expressions in any form can be motivating and encouraging. This can involve physical activity to keep your body moving or trying a new recipe or craft.
Calm: This is achieved through equilibrium or balance. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. Be aware of your body and emotions, acknowledging and honoring them. Ask yourself what is making you angry, why you are feeling this way, and why you are afraid. Acknowledge your feelings rather than trying to push them away. Slow down and allow it to happen.
Courage: There is a lot of courage in showing up as the person you are—and that person may be flawed, fearful, scarred, and beaten down. We may not always succeed, but we can have courage by showing up and doing our best.
Compassion: This is the emotional response when suffering is perceived and involves a desire to help alleviate it. The desire to help others has a positive effect on our bodies and minds.
Connectedness: Being part of and having a connection to others remains important. Expand, redefine, and nurture what’s right about you and others and realize we are all in this together.