Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our hope with the Portraits of Resilience series – we hope the stories below will inspire you to tap into your own resilience.
Brit West
From a young age I knew I wanted to be an artist. My father said ” Marry a doctor or a laywer”. It really pushed me to be my own provider. My story starts sitting on a film shoot, somewhere in East Asia, realizing that I needed to do something more purposeful with my life. Read more>>
SIMEON Den
I attribute my resilience to being raised by my 1st & 2nd generation Filipino immigrant parents, who by example taught my siblings and I to always bring honor to our humble family legacy. At thirteen years old, my Dad was recruited from Ilocos Norte in the Phillipines expressly to work 12-hours-a-day shifts harvesting sugar cane in Hawaii. Read more>>
Aalexa Young
At the age of 20, I gave birth to my second child in 2018. When I was younger, I had high hopes and desires, but I also unexpectedly found myself in a different reality. I was overweight and unhappy with my relationship. I felt like I was a single mother carrying the weight of an unpleasant relationship, to put it mildly. Read more>>
Ana Rodriguez
Like many people in Miami, I am an immigrant. I undoubtedly derive my resilience from this experience. It takes immense courage to uproot your life and start anew in a country where you don’t know the language or the culture. Read more>>
Andrea de Lange
A great deal of my resiliency comes from my mom. Throughout her life, she survived a slew of severe illnesses. This began when she was 18, and was hospitalized for a year with ulcerative colitis. She was strong and feisty, and I inherited those attributes. Read more>>
DJ Loren Alter Ego
Once upon a pulsating stage, amidst the sea of flashing lights and eager faces, there was a young DJ named DJ Loren (and later on Alter Ego). With dreams as big as the bass drops that shook the dance floor, Alter Ego embarked on a journey to share his passion for music with the world. Read more>>
Sam Birchenough
There’s a strong intrinsic drive in which I can’t explain, I can only say it’s there. I’ve been through a lot and have never given up. It’s helpful to know that as tough as things may seem at times, they always do work out. Read more>>
Jesse Thompson
I get my resilience from my mission. My mission drives me to be resilient and continuance in my creative journey is knowing my purpose or my “why”. My purpose is to encourage people and make provisions as a guidance to our young people so they can be encouraged to pursue their dreams that align with their gifts and calling. Read more>>
Armin Nasseri
I’ve been very blessed to have a support system that has taught me about resilience. My family is very goal-oriented and they were always pushing me to evolve as well as chasing excellence. They’ve given me security and even tough love at times. I’ve kept a good connection with my family throughout my life. Read more>>
Shatawn Reid
My resilience comes from my faith in God. I know that He has plans for me to do great things in this life that will show forth His goodness and I posture myself to be used by Him. There are times when it may appear that things aren’t going the way that I would like it to go, but I keep in the forefront of my mind that it is much bigger than me. Read more>>
Sonya Hosey
My resilience came from someone telling me my I am vision was a good idea, not God’s. Interestingly, I almost allowed that controlling voice to question my God-ordained assignment.
Years later I sit among women clergy, women in leafership and women with Gods gift in the place and space I used to be. Read more>>
Vlad Davniuk
Our resilience at Picnic Makers stems from several key sources: Firstly, Olga and I are incredibly passionate about creating memorable and joyful experiences for our clients. This passion drives us to overcome challenges and continuously improve our services. Read more>>
Alejandro Franco
I’m very fortunate to have a good Japanese mentor in my life, and I understand that life is about never quitting and being consistent. Read more>>
Megan Natoli
When reflecting upon my strengths as a person, I have always considered resilience to be one of them, though the truth is that resilience is often built from the ashes of adversity encountered along the way. Read more>>
Aeriel Villanueva
Coming from an immigrant Asian household, there was always a hidden expectation to be successful. With my grandma’s help, who was already living in Los Angeles, helped my family move from the Philippines to California. My parent’s sacrificed and left behind what they had in Manila to give my brothers and I a better life. Read more>>
Jackie Monahan
I get my resilience from a deep need to serve the world. I believe we are all one and when we can all look at the world through an optimistic lens everyone’s life improves. I am relentless about getting this message out there to raise the collective vibration for a better world. Read more>>
Cara D’Adamo
I come from a family of resilient and strong women. My Mother, Grandmothers and sister have faced hardships and adversity from different aspects of life and have always taught me that true strength lies within. When we live our authentic truest selves, we honor what it means to be an artist. Being both an entrepreneur and artist, having faith is an essential part of my foundation. Read more>>
oriana armand
In my case, I had to say goodbye to the country where I was born. It was my choice to take a different path to access new opportunities. Before leaving, I tried to progress, but, unfortunately, living under a dictatorship is difficult to endure. Read more>>
Rachel Jarmusz
Resiliency is something I wasn’t given much of a choice about. At 25 my life changed in a few seconds.
My body was no longer mine and I was forced into a life recovering from a paralyzing stroke.
I wasn’t resilient at first. I was angry and resentful. I did mediocre work in PT an OT, I listened to my doctors give me very little hope for a bright future. Read more>>
Vitalii Drozd
From creating something new. Read more>>
Rachel Luna
I got my resilience after a long & dragged out divorce/custody battle. In 2012 after fighting to save a marriage that was not working for awhile, I decided to file for divorce. My daughter was 3 years old at the time & she deserved to see her mom happy. Read more>>
Riccardo Alessandrin Ricky305
I take this resilience both as a life experience that I lived very hard, but above all since I returned from the hospital, in a very negative period of my life, but after that experience I learned to live life all the time as if it was the last day and make Difference with the my music in worldwide. Read more>>
Delcy Albertini
Resilience is one of my favorite words… and I use it as a reminder everyday. Is the first word I evoke in the morning as I sit on my desk to start my day. I also associate it with discipline… both: resilience and discipline, are key factors to overcome any daily challenges. Read more>>
Dawn Myers
I learned resilience from living with dysthymia – a type of depression that may increase or decrease but typically lasts a lifetime. It’s not usually the kind of depression that keeps you in bed for weeks or makes you want to kill yourself, but it can leave you feeling that you’d be better off if you weren’t here. It takes a consistent effort to rise above those thoughts. Read more>>
Raelynne Rose
My love for hair and makeup started very young. My mom used to buy makeup often but would hardly wear it so I would always sneak into her makeup and play with it as a kid. As I grew, she knew she really couldn’t keep me away from it so she really helped me lean into this hobby of mine. Read more>>
YUMILKA Soto
From failure through years of journey! As an interior designer, It has been crucial for my personal growth to step into situations where I need to prove my knowledge to earn my “spot at the table”, and stay flexible and open-minded. Read more>>
Bridget Hahn
Focusing on one project at a time and giving it your all is a fantastic strategy for staying focused and avoiding overwhelm. Learning from each experience as you complete them is another key element of resilience. Read more>>
Shaneen Bonner
My resilience came through my faith in God when situations and circumstances told me to quit and give up on my dreams and purpose. I look to God for strength and determination to reach the top. Read more>>
Deandra Gunthrop
I have been through a lot in my life. I have lost many loved ones and well as been through a great deal of hardship. I have learned to be resilent. Read more>>
Tamira Smith
My resilience stems from a lineage of well-educated, strong, and resilient women in my family. They have consistently set exemplary standards and instilled in me the belief that with hard work, education, and a clear plan, anything is achievable. Read more>>
Chelsea Dygert
I get it from my mama. …no, but really. She has always been the most beautiful example of grace through trial. Everything she has been through could have made her bitter but she just keeps pushing onward and chooses to meet everyone with compassion and love. I really have the ultimate resilience roll model in her. Read more>>
Madeleine Karako
My resilience comes from God and His grace. I also look to the saints and other inspiring individuals as examples of resilience. Saint Zelie Martin is a constant example of resilience for me. She supported her 5 daughters and her husband working tirelessly as a lace-maker while raising her children. Read more>>
Amanda Piper
I guess you’d say I am resilient. I’ve been through a lot from losing a child to gaining one through adoption, to caring for a child with cancer and several life-changing career moves in the process. What I want people to hear is that no matter what life throws at you, you take it, deal with it, and work toward the other side. Read more>>
Paula Morizono
I have been chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo as an SGI-USA member for 42 years. It helps me stay centered, brings me back to my authentic self and gives me boundless wisdom and courage. It also gives me clarity on how I should proceed with each step in my journey. Chanting is a source of positive energy. Read more>>
Ashley Delonas
Growing up in a small Idaho town, the wilderness was my playground and teacher. My father, an avid outdoorsman, introduced me to the rugged beauty of the mountains through long hikes and camping trips. These experiences instilled in me a profound respect for nature and a deep sense of resilience. Read more>>
Ja’net Young
My resilience comes from my relationship with Christ Jesus and knowing my purpose. I know I am created for good works and to encourage others to do great work – to give back, to love, to inspire, and to cultivate an environment for living an abundant life. Read more>>
Andrezza Haddaway
For 10 years in my home country, Brazil, I was in search of a diagnosis for the weirdest symptoms that I started to experience in my twenties. Numbness, weakness, blurry vision, optic neuritis, tingling, among so many other symptoms. None of the doctors I consulted and tests I’ve done could give me an answer. Read more>>
Chelisa “CheChe” Boyce
My resilience would have to be credited to just my overall life experiences. Thankfully I don’t wear nor allow those experiences to define me. I more so look at it as a superpower. Through fighting, battling addictions of my own, a time period of being homelessness, bi polar depressant diagnosis, the loss of close friends and a spouse. Read more>>
Vanessa Blanding
My resilience comes from having amazing parents and strong women I admire in my family. I’ve watched them all succeed and advance through many hardships, while standing firm in their faith in God. They showed me through the years that no matter what you go through, as long as you keep faith in God and yourself and work hard you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Read more>>
Vince Morales
Resilience is a gift I’ve been fortunate to inherit and cultivate through the remarkable women and experiences in my life. My journey, from the challenging days as a homeless veteran to becoming a thriving coach and consultant, has been profoundly shaped by the strength and wisdom of my grandmother, mother, and wife. Read more>>
Jessica Pates
My resilience came from my upbringing and my mother. I grew up in a low income community. Police sirens, gunshots and helicopters everywhere was always the white noise I fell asleep to. Drug dealers on every corner and being raised by a single mother taught me survivor skills and how to be resilient and know that no matter where I come from, it does not define where I am going. Read more>>
Dorian Rogers
I honestly get my resilience from my life experiences and mother. I am a teenage mother. I had my older two children at 16 and 17 years old but still graduated high school with honors at the top 10% of my class of 800 students and went to college and received my bachelors degree. Going through this taught me that there is never a reason to give up! Read more>>
Patrice Simpson
My grit. The need to leave a solid legacy behind. Understanding that life is short and it is my duty to make the moments count. My resilience comes from remembering days when all I wanted was one chance to show my true talent and how much greatness I have to offer to the world. Read more>>
Leila Magnolia
Resilience is a word I often associate my maternal side of me with. . . I come from a lineage of woman who have had very traumatic up – bringing, and have grown up with stories of their strength overcoming limitations due to their physical disabilities, mental illness, financial background, dysfunctional family dynamics, and Latina heritage. Read more>>
Dr Heather Browne, PsyD, LMFT
I think resilience is such an important character trait! I saw it exemplified in both my father and my mother. Both had very challenging childhoods, yet both wanted family and to give love and wisdom to children of their own. During the depression my father was homeless. And my mom moved 12 times in 12 years, as a child, because rent was too high. Read more>>
