In this session of Health Live at Seniors Today held on April 4, counselor and writer Gouri Dange discusses Strategies for Maintaining Mental Resilience and “staying strong” in a world filled with economic, social, and political uncertainty.
Gouri Dange is a writer and family counsellor with eight published books and long-running columns in national publications.
Core Concepts & Strategies
The “New Abnormal”: The host introduces the session by highlighting current global stresses—including wars, market instability, and the rise of AI—and suggests that we are living in a “new abnormal” that requires a specific emotional toolkit
Flying in a Holding Pattern: Gouri uses the aviation metaphor of an aircraft circling when it lacks “landing rights.” This represents times when plans are up in the air; during this phase, one must master patience, trust, and nerves rather than panic
Abstract vs. Concrete Fears: A key strategy for dealing with overwhelm is separating abstract, imagined fears from concrete, actionable ones. If a fear is concrete (like a drop in savings), one can look for tangible adjustments
Backpedaling and Decelerating: Just as one backpedals on a bicycle to manage a change in terrain, Gouri suggests “backpedaling” in life to cope with changes in the world around us
Practical Tips for Resilience
Delinking Money and Joy: Gouri emphasises the importance of delinking one’s sense of purpose and achievement from financial net worth. Instead, she suggests deriving satisfaction from small, concrete tasks like gardening, cooking, or fixing things around the house
Negotiables vs. Non-Negotiables: She advises listing out what is truly non-negotiable (e.g., staying connected with family) and finding workarounds for them. For instance, if travel is too expensive, a daily short video call can serve as a meaningful replacement
Reducing Consumption: The session touches on consuming less—not as a form of deprivation, but as a way to simplify and reduce the energy spent “fretting” over external market forces
Nurturing the “Hyper-Local”: Instead of focusing on grand plans that are currently out of reach, Gouri suggests finding joy in what is immediately available and affordable, such as nature walks or local hobbies
Emotional Well-being
Music as Therapy: Music is described as a “magic bullet” for the mind. Gouri suggests letting music “wash over you” without needing to understand it cognitively, as it can be a powerful meditative tool
Parenting Yourself: Since many seniors no longer have parents to guide them through crisis, Gouri highlights the need to “parent ourselves”—offering ourselves the same grace and protection we would give a child
Staying Small: Referencing a Tukaram abhang, Gouri concludes with the idea of “staying small” like an ant. While large trees may fall in a storm, the small ant busily finds happiness in a single grain of sugar
Watch the full interview here:
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlGfe5fIuQ0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlGfe5fIuQ0 ]
Gouri Dange can be reached at gouri.dange@gmail.com
