Montana is a Resilient, Bounce-Back State
© Judy Helm Wright http://www.ArtichokePress.com
If you picture Montana as a picturesque outdoor sports haven, you would be partially right. The mountains in the “Big Sky Country” are certainly worth visiting. But, so is the attitude and optimism of the people of Montana.
Resilience is the ability to keep going when things get difficult. It is the ability to ‘bounce back’ when faced with life’s difficulties. Resilient people, like our neighbors who lost corporate jobs, but simplified their lives and grew a large garden to feed their family until times got better.
Resiliency in Nature
So much of what we do each day in Montana is based on the seasons. Summer, autumn, winter and spring. Each season brings something different. We recognize that day will follow night. Spring will follow winter. Each season changes our environment which then changes the way that we live.
We all have disappointments, setbacks and failures in our lives. It is part of the human condition and a major way that we learn how to function in life.
Because we have so much direct influence to the cycles of nature in our state, we tend to understand that while it may be raining today, tomorrow will probably be sunny.
The description of a resilient and bounce back person is one that is able to overcome or learn from adversity or challenges in life. Farmers, ranchers, cowboys, artists and industry giants in our state are optimistic about the future and excited about the present.
I was pleased to read an article about Billings, the largest city in Montana, in the NPR news. You may want to read the entire article here……
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/13/142206382/big-sky-country-has-lots-of-room-for-optimism
Billings has about $150 million worth of public and private construction ongoing or on the boards, including what will be one of the largest sporting goods stores in the world………
“It’s not just natural resources,” says Steve Arveschoug, the executive director of the Big Sky Economic Development.
He says Billings’ diversified economy has been growing slowly but consistently 1.5 to 2 percent in the recent decade.
“We’re a regional trade center. We’re an agricultural hub, our financial services sector is strong,” he says. “We’re a regional center for health care, and we’re doing state-of-the-art health-care delivery here.”
Montana Inhabitants Optimistic
No matter what the economic outlook for the world or nation, Montana people tend to be optimistic about making it through any adversity. Most are made from quite hardy stock and are taught to be resilient by nature and nurturing life-stories of their ancestors.
Even if you are not lucky enough to live in Montana, you can borrow the optimism outlook and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” philosophy of life. You will be glad you did.
Self-Awareness Quiz
- Do the cycles of nature help you to remember that day follows night, and spring follows winter?
- When you are going through hard times, do you reflect on how your ancestors survived?
- Why do you feel that many inhabitants of Montana are bounce-back people?
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