In our building blocks of success series, we tackle the various foundational blocks we believe are essential for success. Resilience is near the top of the list, because pursuing greatness almost always means you will face losses, mistakes and tough times along your journey. The ability to bounce back is so critical and we hope the stories below will inspire you to dig deep and discover more of your own resiliency.
Gambino
Time, the reason it’s so easy for me to bounce back, not give up or figure it out is all from time bcus I’ve been through it plenty of times before in my past which means I always tell myself I can do it again. Read more>>
Pearl Steffie
I think being resilient is simply part of me being Filipino. It is richly embedded in our Filipino culture. We understand suffering but we also learned that joy can be found in the little things in life and that those little things that make us happy, when put together, can make all the difference in the world. In the midst of tragedy, we have learned to stand up and draw out strength. Read more>>
Sarah Tomlinson
I was lucky enough to know from a young age that I wanted to be a writer. I attended my first fiction workshop at age 16, and I was fully hooked. Of course, actually becoming a writer would take me several decades. In those years, I faced many, many nos, near misses, and setbacks that could have easily caused me to quit (especially when piled on top of each other). Read more>>
Jett Pennington
I think for a long time, I had this need to prove to others that I could do everything they doubted I could do. I went through so much hardship in my adolescence, I am the ultimate late bloomer. From this, I felt that need of recognition. As I get older now, (almost to 40’s woahh) I really want to prove it to myself. I want to see what I am capable of. I am competitive with myself. Resilience comes from inner strength. It’s something you have to cultivate, no matter how much opposition you face. We all have it in us. Read more>>
Kween Sankofa-Bey
My resilience comes from my mom. My mom is my shero! She is a strong, powerful, ambitious, resilient, unapologetically loud proud bold Melanated fierce Queen! I watched her struggle, hustle and strive for excellence. She is a fighter and all things BOSS! Read more>>
Elham Gordi
Maybe what aligns the world and humanity is death. Thus, in essence, the nature of humanity is destruction, and what has access to it against death is life. Being a lover and mad about the essence of existence, in any way, is resistance against suffering and boredom. It can be seen in stories, going to the cinema, or even touching it on the dining table and snacks between meals! Read more>>
Girly Vignike Anderson
My grandmother was a remarkable woman who migrated from Cuba with just the clothes on her back. She worked tirelessly, utilizing all of her resources and strength to establish a laundry mat, daycare center, and lounge, which served as the cornerstone for her family’s foundation. My grandmother instilled in me the value of persistence and determination, teaching me never to accept “no” as an answer. Despite facing language barriers and the negative stigma surrounding immigrants, she remained unwavering in her pursuit of her dreams and taking care of her loved ones. Read more>>
Osita James Uche
I grew up in Nigeria with a family of 10. It was me, my mother, my father and 7 siblings. My mother was an English literature teacher and exposed me to African literature at an early age. I read “Zambia Shall be Free” by Kenneth Kaunda, “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi Wa Thiong and God’s Bits of Wood at an early age. I was exposed to the African struggle for independence and the base human desire for freedom through the books I read. At the time Nigeria had gained independence but was doing badly under corrupt leaders. As I read, I resolved to become an agent of positive change. Read more>>
Kevin Hayes
My journey over the last few years was something out of a movie. I went from climbing the pole fixing TVs as a cable technician in Vineland, NJ to managing a corporate production studio for a fortune 50 company in Atlanta Ga. Comcast. Read more>>
Kristina Rosa
My resilience comes from my past experiences. Whether positive or negative, I have learned from every situation I’ve gone thru. Challenging experiences have pushed me out of my comfort zone and create learning opportunities that often foster my creative side. Read more>>
Dannie De Novo
Resilience is something that you develop over time, little by little. That initial dose of resilience needs to blossom out of something really important–a relationship with a loved one, a moving sense of purpose. But once you feel that thing we call resilience, you can build it like a muscle. You may even come to the point of testing your own resolve just to see how strong you can make it. Read more>>
Emilio Uribe
My resilience from my mother and grandfather they made me a strong hard worker with ethics most important to be a honest men with a true word once I say something I do it and get it done. I also have to say I have something inside me that it’s beyond me something that doesn’t let me give up and make me grounded. Read more>>
Kyndle Wylde
I watched this documentary recently about actor/comedian Albert Brooks. Such a great guy! And he said someone once asked him “Why do you always choose the difficult path?” And he basically said, “There aren’t two paths, an easy one and difficult one. There’s only one path, and that’s the one I know.” That’s how resilience feels to me. Like there’s really no other choice. Read more>>
Kathleen Kastner
My resilience comes from my relationship with God and my soul. When I know God has placed a dream in my heart and I feel it is my divine assigment, I keep putting energy into a project until it comes to fruition. I was also a yoga studio owner for 16 years and know that anything worth doing takes day to day hard work, dedication, time, energy and passion to be successful . Read more>>
Deb Bowman
People might think I have a charmed life. What they may not know, is that I have survived great struggle and hardship throughout my journey. Every ounce of work, pain, and survival has created a resilience from walking beyond those struggles to the other side of wisdom and strength. Read more>>
Nikki Fielding
My resilience is in large part thanks to my family and being raised to know my own strength and that “this too shall pass.” Pain, suffering, and feelings are temporary despite the huge importance to honor, validate, and process them. I was severely tested in my late teens with a traumatic combination of events starting with my mother’s near fatal accident that left her in a medically induced coma for two weeks, followed by a college friend’s suicide 3 days later, and 6 weeks later my own traumatic accident. Read more>>
Emily Alvarado
My resilience is something that I have gained through life experiences, and the people that have entered and left my life. When I was growing up, I didn’t have much support emotionally, and I was often left to navigate the world on my own. Read more>>
Annie Martinez
I’ve gained resilience over time, and definitely wasn’t as resilient as I am now. My resilience came from being knocked down by life back to back and being driven to rock bottom. It began in June of 2019 when I lost my brother due to gang violence 3 days after he turned 26 years old. Unfortunately at the time, I let my grief affect me in a negative way and I was in a constant battle with myself trying to regain focus. Read more>>
Larisa Bothma
In March 2023, our two year old son, Arend Agulhas, had a bone marrow transplant to cure a blood disorder he was born with. At only 4 months old, he was diagnosed with CGD and I was faced with navigating a diagnosis that meant that he was fatally allergic to most things in our environment as well as infectious people. His body was unable to fight bacterial and fungal infections and landed us in hospital was several life threatening infections. Read more>>
Samantha Miller
We draw our strength from the women in our family. Our mother and grandmother instilled in us the importance of always seeking the positives in life. Although life presents challenges, it is important to avoid getting trapped in negativity and instead, to celebrate our victories. Read more>>
Marie Finch
I feel that I was born with a spirit of resiliency. To be honest, I feel that I received it from my father who was the most resilient person I know. He came from he depression and did not know how to read not write. I did not know this until I was 15 years old. But, he worked hard and was very smart to become a spec home builder and owned many real estate properties. I saw first hand how he worked around his disability to obtain his goals. I cultivated resiliency further throughout my life with playing sports and competing with others and within myself. Read more>>
Sasha McIntyre
I draw my resilience from God and the incredible example set by my family and community. Their unwavering strength in facing life’s challenges, coupled with their resilience in overcoming obstacles, has been a constant source of inspiration for me. Their positive attitude, perseverance, and ability to navigate difficulties have shaped my own mindset, fostering a deep well of resilience that I carry with gratitude. Read more>>
Gabrielle Wolff
We all wish that life was perfect and easy and it just isn’t. I started my adulthood in a horribly controlling and honestly terrible relationship that ended with me being a full time single mother with no child support or shared custody to 2 amazing sons and a brand new career in real estate. This was my first career and has been my only career and I was in a sink or swim situation, and with my 2 little ones relying on me, sinking was not an option. Read more>>
Tanya Kormeili MD
By the time I was twelve, I had already lived in 3 different continents, studied 5 different languages and had experienced a revolution and a war! My resilience is from my family. They always, regardless of the turmoil of the outside world, gave me love, attention and made me feel valued. We were always focused on “what is possible in the future” and my parents never lets us dwell too much on what was wrong in the past. Read more>>
James Samuels
I draw my resilience from the formidable challenges I faced at a young age. Being diagnosed with Kawasaki’s disease, a life-threatening condition, at just 4 years old, compelled me to confront the fragility of life. Through that harrowing battle for survival, I discovered an inner strength that continues to sustain me. Moreover, my resilience is deeply rooted in my unwavering trust in God, who provided solace and guidance during the darkest moments of my journey. It is this amalgamation of personal fortitude and faith that fuels my resilience and serves as a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Read more>>
Amber Holmes
Resilience comes from a positive mindset, it also helps that our business model is resilient in itself, {faux flowers for rent} FauxReal! The faux flowers just bounce back, no matter the onset! And we are just trying to keep up with them…. From the get, this idea has been a no brainer, and God has laid the way for doors to just keep opening for FauxReal Flowers. The need is there, the making it happen is simple. Read more>>
Joshua Baldwin
I often remind myself that being good at something and enjoying it doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. The greatest challenges in my career so far have concluded to reveal greater ones. My resilience comes from finding solace in difficulty. Read more>>
Amir Aghajani
Without a single shadow of a doubt my resilience, given my tumultuous and heavy life, came from my Mother. I know super heroes belong in movies but she is a bonified walk-amongst-us super hero. When it comes to resilience she teaches how to mend, expand, and follow your heart. And in the toughest times of domestic abuse for her she taught my siblings and I to keep our heads up and to keep moving forward. That even the worst things in life we experience are ephemeral. It too will pass. Read more>>
Carolin Wanitzek
My free time goes hand in hand with my work. It was super important to me right from the start to have a good work-life balance. Basically, for me, everything starts with my sleep. I am a person who needs a lot of sleep, which is my 8-10 hours per night. Read more>>
Sarieha Alsawaf
Being born in the Middle East and moving to the US at a young age, came many struggles. Yes my family brought us to America for a better life and that I am grateful for. However, in the 80’s, not many understood the Arab world and some had a negative outlook on us. Also, my parents were more strict because of fear that something bad would happen to us in this new country. Read more>>
Francelyn Devarie
Without a doubt from my mother haha. I love that woman to death and when she has a goal in mind nothing will stop her till she achieves it. I love that I get that from her, even through my darkest days I knew I was meant for more. It took me over a decade to get over the pain of the past but I have always been focused on the Life I want for myself. Read more>>
Sonja Hague
I get my resilience from my family. Being a first-generation American, it has been essential to me to ensure that my family’s sacrifice didn’t go to waste. My family’s journey to the United States wasn’t easy, but my mother made it here to provide a better life for me and my siblings. With all that she’s been through and all that she’s sacrificed, I owe it to her to never give up and to keep pushing to be the best I can be. Read more>>
Ashley Jade Nguyen
My journey to building the resilience I have today came to me a young age, watching and learning from the adults around me. Growing up, I watched family members share what they had, and they all worked long hours to help each other make ends meet. Read more>>
Katya Vilchyk
From my upbringing in Ukraine, witnessing my parents navigate the tumultuous aftermath of the Soviet Union’s fall, resilience wasn’t just a choice; it was a necessity. Those uncertain times taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance and adaptability. I saw my parents, against all odds, rebuild their lives from scratch. Their unwavering determination in the face of uncertainty left an indelible mark on me. Read more>>
Li’Marie Hayes
My resilience comes the way I grew up. I grew up a very hard life but my story will show that I am living proof that your life can change. Read more>>
Jake Teplitzky
For me, resilience goes hand and hand with experience. A person cannot learn or cultivate resilience without having experiences that help shape one’s ability to be resilient. Personally, I believe that to be resilient is to be able to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue to pursue your own personal journey. Read more>>
Alicia Washington
I get my resilience from watching my mother work her butt off to provide what we needed without complaining. She made it look so easy taking care of myself and my sister. and then when I was old enough to understand, I seen what she was enduring even through the bad. Read more>>
