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.
Christine and Mass Bluewater Lavender Farm
Being resilient and staying resilient takes effort. We are both fortunate to come from very supportive families that we are strongly connected to. We also have an amazing network of friends that build us up and help us feel like we can do anything! Read more>>
Porchea-Londone Spencer
The only other option is to quit and that’s not an option. As long as there is breath in my body, there’s opportunity to keep going. Read more>>
Tiara Hardison
My mother, Trazzia Wallace! Witnessing my mother’s unwavering strength and perseverance in managing the household and supporting the family during my father’s deployments provided me with a firsthand lesson in resilience. This upbringing instilled a deep understanding of the value of resilience and its practical application in navigating difficult circumstances. Read more>>
VI Bennett
I get my resilience from my father , as well as my grandmother. They both taught me to never give up even when the times are hard & your backs against the wall. So giving up is not an option in my eyes. Read more>>
Renay bossy Graham
I am bossy a cosmetologist my nickname comes from my father but my resilience my perseverance and my strong will self confidence comes from the incredible women in my family one in particular my great grandmother ann Ashton RIP She was an incredible wardrobe stylist who owned her own business and created incredible wardrobes through the 40s all the way through the early 90s. Read more>>
Rama Sallsao
My resilience really came from my mom. She immigrated in to the United States in the late 90s leaving six children behind and really fending for herself before she could bring me here when I was like around four my parents divorced really early so I was pretty much only Raised by her and it was really inspiring to see a her in a country she literally didn’t know the language didn’t know anyone had to maneuver and build a life for us. Read more>>
Rami Abushhab
I 100% get my resilience from being Palestinian, my entire people are rooted in resilience. I don’t think anyone would disagree with the fact that Palestinians are the most resilient people in the world. I see what my family goes through back home and how they are able to not only survive, but thrive and that inspires me. Read more>>
Alejandra Alanis Ortiz
Since I was a child, I was raised to be a problem solver, my parents always told me two quotes that stayed with me and I have tried to always apply them in life, “It’s not over until is over so try one more time” and “You already told how you can’t do it, now tell me how you can do it”. So I guess it comes from the way my parents educated me and how I decided to live. Read more>>
Leeryck
There are two people in my life that taught me resilience and that is God and my mother, God can do all things but fail and my talent is truly God given so if he brings me to it he will bring me through it. That’s a motto that I live by even when I become discouraged and want to give up, and, believe me there has been so many times that I’ve wanted to give up and then I remember whose I am. Read more>>
Michelob Williamson
Resilience is probably one of my strongest traits. Life has given me no choice but to be resilient with nothing to lose. I didn’t have the easiest childhood growing up. My mother had left me when I was only 6 years old, so I was raised by my Father. I got to learn resilience at a young age from watching my Dad as he raised me. Read more>>
Serena Jacob
I believe that my resilience comes from doing something that I am passionate about. It is also very rewarding to see the services I provide bring joy to others. Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and our skills allow people to experience changes that go beyond what they can do for themselves. Read more>>
Tyler Purcell
The key is to always be looking ahead and keep goals realistic. So many people have completely unascertainable goals. Understand what you’re capable of doing. Find simple goals to start with, that push not only your career forward, but are also rewarding to yourself. Small rewards here and there, really help get the momentum moving. Read more>>
Laura Peters Abalos
When asked to describe myself, my first response is always “relentless”. This is a trait I’ve had my entire life. While I credit my relentlessness to a little friendly competition with my siblings and peers, it’s the lessons my parents taught me in my childhood that are the foundations of who I am today. Read more>>
Karen Brown
the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. This definition is the best way to answer the question, “where do you get your resilience from?” The answer lies within difficulty and struggle. Growing up, I did not have it all. My parents worked very hard and struggled, which meant us kids also did not have it all either. We learned how to be independent and work for things from a young age. Read more>>
Jorge V. Gonzalez
In his early twenties during World War II, my grandfather moved from Mexico to the United States through something called the “Bracero Program.” It was an agreement between the two countries to help with work. He got a job working in the fields in Southern California, doing agricultural work. While he was there, my grandma stayed back in Mexico, taking care of their two young children. Read more>>
William Craig
My resilience is a product of life’s unpredictable challenges, much like facing unexpected curve balls. In those moments, I’ve honed the superpower of adaptability. Giving up easily has never been my style. When I set a goal, I persevere until it’s achieved. Regardless of the obstacles thrown my way, I possess the ability to forge ahead. Read more>>
Diamond Dej
This question is so great because I was just driving home the other night and was thinking, “wow, I really have persevered so much in my life!” I grew up with a rough family background and in parts of St. Louis that were not the safest. This led me to be exposed to many experiences that kids my age at that time shouldn’t have probably been around. Read more>>
Amanda Kohal
The long of the short of where I get my resilience from is being told no, multiple times, in every chapter of my life so far. When I was in my twenties the no’s hit a lot harder and was usually followed by tears or frustration which led to tears (a vicious cycle really). But as I got older, I got better at managing the no’s and turning a lot of them into yeses or pivoting in a direction that was better for me. Read more>>
Rob Cook
I was living a very intriguing and sought-after lifestyle, and I never thought it would end. But in 2015, many overwhelming circumstances, both personal and professional, collided, creating the darkest days of my life. Initially, it was debilitating. It was surreal. You can call it arrogance, but I thought this could never happen to me. Read more>>
Ricky Rosario
Growing up as the son of Dominican immigrants, I witnessed firsthand the sacrifices one had to make to live and survive in this country. My mother was the ultimate example of a resilient and hardworking individual. She was the first entrepreneur and business owner I ever knew. It didn’t dawn on me until a few years ago, that for 30-plus years of my life, my mother was going above and beyond for our family. Read more>>
Maria Kazikhanov
Resilience, intricately woven into my art, traces back to my roots in Moscow. Joining ELLE magazine in 1999, I progressed from an assistant photo editor to a creative producer, embracing travel and vibrant encounters that fueled my passion for meaningful narratives In 2010, my pursuit of significance led me to filmmaking, addressing human rights and social issues in Russia. Read more>>
Keturah Wilson
I think my resilience comes from always being underestimated and looked at as if I was less than. People always kind of put me on the back burner, as if I was incompetent and when I started to realize that pattern, I knew I had to change. Read more>>
Jennifer Lind Schutsky
I think there is so much to be said for that old adage what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And honestly, sometimes I don’t want to be strong, but I think growing up with parents who just didn’t get what I was about or who I was really set me up for success. Read more>>
Elizabeth Sanchez
I am a first generation, Mexican American LMFT (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist) based in Southern California. As the daughter of an immigrated family, I have always had a passion for helping others. Especially, those in ethnic and under served communities. Read more>>
Ana Paula Pous
I get my resilience from focusing on my inner self, have a support group and staying physically healthy. It’s important, especially as we age, that we learn to truly love and understand ourselves. This past year I have concentrated on the concept of “you must feel to heal” as a way to understand how I truly feel, what may have caused it, why it made me feel that way and how to move past it. Read more>>
Andrea La Valleur-Purvis
By being persistent and taking just one more step. I believe in taking action, even if you’re not fully sure where you’re heading. If you’re directionally correct, you can prototype and iterate. I learned this way of working during my time as a creative director and designer in the tech industry. Even when you have the best ideas, you have to create the first version before you get to the final version. Read more>>
Keren Ramos
I’m naturally optimistic and resourceful. When obstacles arise, I see them as opportunities to learn and adapt, keeping my focus on my long-term vision. I think my journey chasing my dreams and growing my career has taught me the importance of perseverance and grit. I think every hurdle I’ve overcome, whether it is resources or cultural barriers, has made me stronger and more resilient. Read more>>
ANEIIA STEELE
I have been a survivor my entire life. I have been on my own since I was 14 years old and was homeless in my freshman and sophomore year of high school. I slept under bridges and would steal clothing from laundromats just to have what I needed. I went to school every day, graduated on time and knew that I was the key to changing my situation and I had to keep pushing. My resilience comes from my traumatic childhood. Read more>>
Karen Revelo-Washington
First and foremost from my faith in Jesus Christ, I would not be who I am today if it wasn’t for Him in my life. My husband and children are another reason I do what I do. Read more>>
Christina DiArcangelo
My resilience is deeply rooted in my upbringing and the exemplary resilience demonstrated by my father, Albert J. DiArcangelo, Sr. Witnessing his unwavering advocacy for blue-collar workers from a labor standpoint left an indelible mark on me. Read more>>
Alexandria Daniels
I’ve been through my fair share of challenges and obstacles in all aspects of my life but what keeps me going most is the strength and clarity that’s gained through life’s difficult and heartbreaking moments. Giving up isn’t an option for me, ever. Read more>>
Jace Stenersen
Owning a business in general is going to require resilience, however, I think my resilience comes from my upbringing as a photographer/artist – not the business side of the aisle. It takes resilience to get the shot you’re really after. When I first dream of the picture I want, I know there are mistakes I have yet to overcome for that particular picture. Over my lifetime, I’ve spent countless hours learning resilience through creating art. Read more>>
Dr. Clementine
My resilience comes from having survived the Rwandan genocide at the age of eight, living through refugee camps and settlements and going through several life altering experiences at such a young age of 8. These experiences showed me that as human, we have the capacity of enduring that many of us will probably never experience in our lives. Read more>>
Tanisha Tate
My Story is big, but my Triumph is bigger. I like to say since birth I’ve been fighting for my life. Being born premature alone came with its challenge but the challenges after that no one could have prepared me for. Resiliency is such a funny word when you feel like you’re constantly fighting to prove you deserve this life or your life has quality meaning. Read more>>
Gina Starbuck
I would say that resilience, for me, is multi-layered and resilience moves through me in a myriad of ways. My resilience, at this point in my life, is rooted in motherhood first. I really feel like my daughter birthed me. Its in devotion to motherhood… Both in mothering her in the most beautiful way that I can and in leaning in to my relationship with the Great Mother, that I have found a massive amount of resourcefulness. Read more>>
T. Y. Steven Ip
Challenges in my formative years definitely shaped my resiliency. My parents immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in the 1960’s. My father got accepted to the graduate program in engineering at Columbia University in NYC. I was about 3 years old at that time and was raised in a family of 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Read more>>
Gene Williams
My resilience comes from having to endure abuse, bullying, and being ostracized from a young age, and then getting into an abusive, toxic marriage from the age of 22 to 39 years of age. It taught me how to be self-reliant, and look for love and acceptance in myself, first, before looking outwardly for that reflection in someone else. Read more>>
Taz Garcia
So much of my motivation and resilience stems from my martial arts training that enhanced my focus and constant hunger for growth – to earn what I want in life. Having experienced war as a child and realizing that nothing is truly for granted and that there’s no better time to live, pursue goals and love as the present. Read more>>
Loune-Djenia Askew, Esq.
I grew up with a single mother. Her and I migrated to the United States when I was only 8 years old. I watched her go from being a lawyer in Haiti to uprooting her life for our safety. Once here, my mother had to start her life and career over while raising me, struggling to learn English and struggling financially. Read more>>
La’mya Strothers
Well I got my resilience from my mother while growing up, she is also a singer and her mother as well, my mom always had me and my siblings in church, and we were in a choir, but it was much so passed on in the family. I got my work ethic from training myself so that it can become automatic instead of a struggle. Read more>>
