Kermit the frog from Sesame Street sang the song “It’s not easy being green.”
This is a song about knowing who you are, realizing your own worth and dignity, and becoming more content and comfortable within yourself. (sesameworkshop.org)

In a trauma recovery group in prison, at the beginning of each session, the men were asked where they were functioning on a scale from one to 10 with 10 doing great. They reported a range of responses from 2 to 7, 8 or 9 but never 10. One man said “ I can never be 10 because I’m not perfect.” What if 10 means looking at things without diminishing my weaknesses or imperfections, but recognizing and being grateful for where I am with the possibility of continuing to do better.

As they learned to view life and its events with an attitude of continued progression, more and more of them reported being at a level of 10.

In Adjusting to Missionary Life, the highest level of the four levels of functioning is green. We learn that “Stress is not always bad. In fact, stress is a normal physical and emotional response to the changes and challenges of life and is necessary for growth.”

Green Level: This is the ideal. Here you are handling the everyday stressors of missionary work [and life], learning, and progressing.

Yellow Level: Tense, worried, insecure, anxious, unprepared. Trouble getting along with others. Difficulty feeling the Spirit.

Orange Level: Exhausted (physically and emotionally). Ill (e.g., upset stomach). Easily angered. Deeply discouraged. Inability to feel the Spirit.

Red Level: Persistent depression, panic, or anxiety. Hopelessness. Trouble eating or sleeping (can lead to illness). Overwhelmed; inability to continue. Feel as though you have been abandoned by God.

Fluctuating from green to yellow or even orange for three days is normal. In orange more than three days or in red, please get help.

One method of developing resilience is to choose a role model whose resilient characteristics you can strive to acquire. This might be someone you do or do not know, someone living or who has passed away. Some may be examples from your family, from people you know, or examples from the scriptures like Nephi, Alma, Esther, Mary the mother of Jesus, Paul, Peter, and many more. We can also strive to develop the attributes of Christ. These can all help us to develop resilience and achieve the level of green.

May the Lord continue to bless us in our various situations in life so we can continue to grow and progress and become like our Savior.