We attended the Pride March on Sunday 31st January, as we generally do every year. It’s a fantastic event, full of colour, energy and fun. As usual this year’s march did not disappoint and the focus on marriage equality was timely given all the recent debate. Aside from all the fun, we also find the event inspirational because it is a testament to resilience. The LGBTIQ community is an example of a group of people who have overcome adversity in order to claim their rightful place in society. The main word that comes to mind when I think of the marchers is resilience. Resilience is a term which is often used in psychology, as it is an important factor related to health and wellbeing. Resilience is all about the ability to bounce back from adversity, which can be achieved with hardiness, good coping strategies and great deal of flexibility. These are really key elements to any challenge in life, whether it be changing societal opinion about sexuality or overcoming one’s own anxiety or depression. In particular, response flexibility is vital so we can adapt to changes in our lives. I think the following quotes explain the importance of adaptability.
It is not the strongest of the species that survives,
nor the most intelligent that survives.
It is the one that is the most adaptive to change.
– Charles Darwin
Between a stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. The last of human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.
– Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychiatrist, survivor of Auschwitz
Perspective taking is a wonderful way to reflect on your life, develop a different attitude and make change. So we at Prahran Psychology love to go to the Pride March in order learn more about others and ourselves, not to mention seeing some pretty mind blowing costumes.
Dean and Irene