Facing life’s complexities requires more than just strength; it demands resilience. And as life most definitely doesn’t become less complex after a move abroad, even more so as an international.   Our latest podcast episode dives into the profound concept of the 3P’s – Personalization, Permanence, and Pervasiveness – as defined by Martin Seligman. While there are countless methods to build mental fitness and enhance resilience, this episode focuses on how mastering the 3P’s can significantly empower you to navigate life’s intricate situations with more agility and confidence. Tune in to discover a pivotal approach to developing your resilience in an ever-changing world.

The 3Ps – A Framework for Resilience 
We explored the characteristics of resilient individuals, and how they are the foundation for resilient organisations in the article ‘Resilient Individuals = Resilient Organisations’ (hyperlink). We also discussed that resilience can be learned through developing thoughts, behaviours and actions that allow you to recover from traumatic or stressful life events. Let’s explore the framework, The 3Ps to understand how we can build and develop our resilience.   

Researchers have delved into understanding the make-up of resilient people since the emergence of positive psychology in the 1990s. This work led to Martin Seligman and his colleagues developing a resilience framework, called the 3Ps. The foundation of this framework is based on their observation that resilient people are those that don’t identify the challenges they are faced with as being either Personal, Permanent or Pervasive.  

These 3P’s are often automatic and emotional responses to life’s challenges. However, we can consciously choose to build our resilience, and ability to adapt to change by understanding that our thoughts and mindset will affect our experiences and wellbeing.  

Let’s take a closer look at each ‘P’.  

Personalisation
Although it is a show of good character to be accountable, at times we tend to attribute the difficulties we encounter as our own making rather than that of external circumstance. This can lead you to believing you are responsible for the outcome of certain events, that in reality, may have been out of your control.  

Personalisation is a cognitive distortion, meaning your mind convinces you to believe negatives things about yourself, and your environment that are not always true. It can lead to you assigning blame to yourself or feeling guilty without reflecting on all the factors involved.  

When we place blame on ourselves, it is harder to remain resilient and bounce back. Self-reflection is key to remaining accountable but use your time during reflection to acknowledge the external factors that contribute to challenging situations.  

Pervasiveness
Sometimes when we have difficulties in one aspect of our lives, we think this is reflective of all areas of life. Pervasiveness leads us to assume that negative situations spread across all areas of our life, when in fact an adverse situation may be contained to just one work project, or in one challenging relationship.  

Acknowledging that a setback in one area doesn’t impact all areas of your life, you can remain more resilient, and maintain a greater level of well-being during stressful periods.  

Permanence
During challenging times, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Permanence is the belief that a crisis will last forever. If left unchecked, permanence can evolve into a mindset that the worst is still yet to come instead of working to improve the situation.  

Resilient people know that nothing is permanent, neither the good nor bad times. These people persist through the difficulties of life, reflecting on their expectations, learning from the challenges and reminding themselves of past success.  

To unravel these 3Ps, you’ve completed the first step – knowing they exist. Now reflect on times you may have fallen into a one of these emotional responses and consider how you might negate them if they rear their head again. Instead of allowing the 3Ps to take control, consider what character strengths you embody and how you might utilise them during stressful or challenging times. 

AUTHOR: Gāya Surendorff  Associate Director, Diversity Australia