Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of most of the wildly successful folks in our community have exhibit an extreme degree of resilience and we’ve come to believe that if our goal is to help our community achieve great outcomes we have to help build resources and knowledge around how one can become more resilient.
Mia Pava
When I was four years old my family immigrated to a new country, we left our family, friends, our home and embarked on a new journey. Though I was very young I remember not wanted to let go, and leave. Looking back I view this experience as a gift. Not only did this teach me that I am able to take risks and jump into the unknown, but more importantly that my identity does not depend on where I live or where I came from. I can thrive, rebuild, discover and be curious about things around me, and continue to learn and grow with the understanding that wherever I choose to be is the place that I belong. Read more>>
Rosario Calatayud-Serna
The word “resilience” sometimes feels like too large of a word to unpack – but interestingly enough, just this week, in a conversation with my mom and my sister, my mom explained to us that our strength as women who are “abriendo brechas” comes from my great grandmother and my grandmother. This translates literally to opening gaps, and what my mom was explaining to us is that our resilience comes from our heritage, that it is in my blood – and I really like thinking about it like that – that my resilience comes from my abuelas. Although I do not know too much about the details of their lives when they were alice, I can only imagine that they did not open their own paths alone – their community was there for them. This knowledge and understanding is where my resilience comes from. The resilience of my community, of my family, my friends, the cultural movers and shakers, the advocates, the creatives and those not afraid to ask questions and grow – these too are the roots of my resilience. Read more>>
Chanel Benjamin
My resilience comes from always wanting to be an agent of change, a driving force and assist in navigating someone’s future by implementing initiatives that are important and/or becoming obsolete. The desire to make a difference empowers resilience and it is a self-fueling journey that requires time, patience, and moments where I stood alone until others finally saw my vision through authenticity, putting in the work, and constantly doing everything I said I would do. Read more>>
Axel Chico
I get my resilience from my faith in God and the Goals that I have set for myself to accomplish, achieve, and inspire. Read more>>
Lisa Kenner Grissom
For me, resilience comes from facing life’s unexpected challenges and working through them on a daily basis. When I was 26, I was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects the joints and muscles. It was an utter shock to me. I had just moved to LA from Boston and was doing that thing you do in your 20’s—taking a risk, making a bold move. Within my first year of living in a new city, I was diagnosed with this strange sounding, serious condition. And with my family on the East Coast, I didn’t have a support system in place. Before my diagnosis, I had been an athlete, running the Santa Monica stairs and hiking Griffith Park every weekend. Now, I was faced with a new reality. I had to dig deep and ask myself: who am I, now? And what do I want to do with my one life? Read more>>
Kylie Thomas
In my experience, resilience comes from being able to pick myself up and continue creating, even after the toughest events or traumas. It can be really difficult to force myself to create when I’m down or going through a rough patch. Pushing myself to create anyways, and then having success with that creation, proves my resilience to me and shows me that I have a purpose and was born to create. Read more>>
Jack Bott
My resilience stems from my family and the queer community that surrounds me.
Growing up as a girl in society was a constant challenge. My childhood was filled with efforts to prove myself to doubters, especially in team sports. As an athletic kid, I was fortunate to have supportive parents and brothers backing me in every endeavor. However, my peers were often less enthusiastic, particularly in co-ed sports where I was frequently the only girl. Read more>>
Alix Yumi Cho
My resilience comes from overcoming challenges and faith. For instance, my first short film was born out of a moment of panic. It portrayed the true story of my friend Jin Hee Lee, who is now with God. She was very special to me because she was not only my best friend for 20 years, but also the only one who encouraged me to pursue my passion. During our last conversation, her last words were to keep pursuing my passion, no matter how hard it is. She asked me to finish my project and show it to her. Read more>>
JOANNA ANDRES
That’s a great question. In 2019, I faced a major challenge when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 DCIS breast cancer. It came as a complete surprise, and with a family history clear of the disease, it was a lot to process. Read more>>
Ethel Viruena
My childhood was perfect until my parents divorced. Shortly after, I lost my brother to a drunk driver. My teen years were challenging, and by the age of 22, I was a single mother of three. After losing my partner to a drug cartel in Mexico, I decided to leave everything behind and start anew. I arrived in the U.S. with very little, my English was not perfect, but I was determined. Read more>>
Hailey Reinke
Every single day as an actor you have to be resilient. For me personally, I am still working towards being where I want to be in my career. I have accomplished a lot already which I am very thankful for, but I do have more goals I am working towards as well. I have the opportunity to continue to pursue what I love and that is exactly where I get my resilience from. Every single day I am working on something whether it’s filming an audition, submitting to a project or film, updating my resume, taking acting classes, networking with people, listening to an acting-related podcast, etc. Being that everyone’s career path is different and there is not one path to follow, it can sometimes be discouraging for people. Read more>>
Ansley Garibaldi
I get my resilience from staying aligned with my goals and channeling my inner confidence when I am met with adversity. It is sometimes easier said than done, but when faced with a challenging circumstance, I try to focus on the elements of the situation that are within my control. I remind myself that I have the power to change the narrative of my life and that remaining steadfast in my purpose has served me well so far in life and it will continue to do so. Certainly there are things beyond my control and that is where adaptability comes in. In business and in my personal life, I believe that mental agility is a strong quality that has allowed me to thrive, even in challenging circumstances. Read more>>
Allison Scavo
The Appalachian roots run deep in my family. Every member on both sides before me has had to fight their way out of survival mode. There are generations of intelligent strategists who never gave up. My paternal great-grandma had to learn to drive a truck at the age of 13 to support her parents through the Great Depression. Working with grown men her whole life passed down a lot of generational wisdom to me. Additionally, my maternal grandma, who lived in a rural area with no resources, had to bury three of her children due to starvation because the family’s single income from the coal mine couldn’t support them. In desperation, she birthed my mother alone in a kitchen who was raised to be healthy and loved. Despite my grandma’s hardships she was the kindest woman I’ve ever met. She never gave up on loving what she did have. These are just a few examples of how my family has taught me time and time again that moving forward only means better things are coming. Read more>>
Molly Noori
I just settled in at a local coffee shop. I found a quant marble table with comfy leather chairs next to a picturesque window. I grab a matcha, open my laptop, turn on my tunnel vision and get ready to write…nothing. Zero thoughts are being formed in my head. I quickly realize I’m being stumped by the word “resilience.” Of course, I know the meaning of the word. If there was ever a movie made about me it could easily be titled “Resilience- story of a woman who needs a year long spa day.” But when I had to start thinking about where my resilience comes from I started to think about it differently. So I did what any millennial would do in this situation. I Googled “resilience def”: Resilience noun: resiliency; plural noun: resiliencies Read more>>
Yuking Chou Brandenburgh
Transitioning from Taiwan to Vienna, Austria, at 14 was a true test of my resolve. Leaving behind the familiar for the unknown demanded courage, but I embraced it as a chance to grow. Learning German, a completely new and challenging language, while navigating daily life in a new city was daunting, but I faced it head-on with determination. During my first year living alone, I learned to cook, hunt for an apartment, pay bills, and carry coal for my heater to my third-floor apartment. Thinking back, I often felt like Cinderella, and I’m grateful I never caused any fires or suffocated myself in the process. You get the picture! Despite these challenges, my passion for music fueled my perseverance. Each obstacle became an opportunity to grow, and setbacks taught me resilience. Through determination and a willingness to embrace change, I thrived in my new environment. Read more>>
Juan Paniagua
I would have to credit both my parents for my resilience. Both my parents immigrated to the US. They both had to learn and adjust to a new life. Being an immigrant myself and seeing their journey helped build up the resilience I count on now to help me push through the hard times. Read more>>
Shayla Hufana
The first people that come to mind are my parents. It didn’t matter the circumstance — they always made sure my brother and I were taken care of. I had heart surgery when I was a baby, and in the early ’90’s, we lost my youngest sister. Through every obstacle our family had gone/goes through, regardless if they agree or not, my parents show me patience and grace. To love deeply and be there for others when I am able to be, because life is not promised tomorrow. My parents are the epitome of what it means to be hardworking, understanding, selfless and loving, even around difficult circumstances. They, along with my wife, kids and extended family (including my best friends) are my greatest blessings. Read more>>
Shawn Berina
My resilience stems from a potent blend of stubborn determination (that’s right I’m an Aries!) and overcoming significant hurdles from a young age. Basketball has been my passion since I was just 4 years old. Being the only girl playing against boys until I was 13 was a fierce baptism by fire. Progressing in the sport in high school and college definitely wasn’t always easy – facing tougher opponents, overcoming self-doubt, and bouncing back from injuries, including stress fractures in my shins, all tested my mental and physical limits. But that competitive environment also instilled in me an unwavering spirit and the ability to learn from setbacks and eventually allowed me to play college basketball. This relentless drive translated well when I tackled the demanding military lifestyle at the U.S. Air Force Preparatory School. The rigorous boot camp training, designed to push you to your absolute limits, felt familiar territory after years on the basketball court. The physical challenges were intense, but the mental fortitude I’d developed during competition allowed me to persevere through the grueling tests. Here, the focus wasn’t just on individual strength, but also on teamwork and leadership – skills that would become crucial later on. Read more>>
Pamela Bob
As an actor, singer, writer–a creative in general–resilience is the name of the game. We, in this industry, face a world full of “no”s, disappointments, shattered hopes and unfair decisions. It is a career in which the hardest working or most talented person does not usually get the job. The lows can be devastating, and it’s hard not to feel hopeless in those moments of despair. It is truly a crazy, non-linear, wild-card of a profession, and if there was something else I could do, believe me, I would have done it. What I’m trying to say is–I have a clear sense of my purpose. Of my calling. Of what my deepest inner soul is calling me to do which I have known since birth. Others might see the lack of total security or consistency, my life and career always “in the air”, as an insane way to go about adulting. But for me, I feel like I’m the lucky one. Read more>>
AYVA
Resilience hasn’t been easy for me in most cases. As I’m going through a difficult time, I’m not aware that I’m getting through it. I’m just trying to get through it. I’ve learned through time and experience that I will eventually get through tough situations, so I just try to hold on and cope until the hard part is over. Read more>>
Elizabeth Herrmann
I was a competitive gymnast for fifteen years. I attribute many of my skills, including resiliency, hard work, and determination to these formative years in the 90’s at the gym. Gymnastics is no joke. Practices were 4 days a week and four non-stop hours per session. It was both exhausting and exhilarating. The pain was rewarded with a sense of pride in knowing that not many people could do the tricks you practiced day in and day out. Here, I was taught that there are no excuses. To this day, I constantly push myself to try harder and go farther and don’t allow myself pleasure until I have achieved what I have set out to do. Success is so much more gratifying when there is a struggle and you have earned it. This perspective is so ingrained within me and infuses every aspect of my life, from the jog that I make myself do every morning, despite the weather or how I may feel, to the demanding and challenging projects that I agree to take on at work. Read more>>
Ryan Cooper
I got my resiliency from failures and near death experiences with each failure I’ve grown stronger smarter each brush with death I’ve faced had made me wiser& tougher! There’s too many times people fail then make the same mistake over and over. With each failure it gives us the opportunity to level up and learn from our mistakes! I’ve been shot lost half my finger and a part of my face but it made me stronger. I’ve been lost at sea carried away with storms surrounded by alligators but it made me wiser. you can’t panic you can’t freak out and lose all composure you have to take a breathe and know it will all be alright if you put your head down and get through the event! The strength & resiliency will come after! Read more>>
Nicholas Guest
I’ve watched my mother be a remarkable person. She raised three boys alone while being vision impaired. We didn’t have much, but we had enough. She did the best she could, and she did a damn good job if you ask me. I want to take this moment to give that wonderful woman her flowers. Read more>>
Nicolas Martin
I think and I say it humbly, resilience is my biggest strength. I love it when I find myself in a situation where I have to work harder, when I need to push myself. What helps me is to think that many people in this situation would have given up. It’s so easy to give up, so easy to stop, telling yourself that it’s already good as it is. I don’t think like that. Read more>>
Gregory White
Purely from God. There isn’t a single other place or source that I could think of. Occasionally, I want to give up and move onto something else, but I have a large belief in miracles. As an aspiring animator, it’s pretty easy to be pessimistic and exasperrated because this is a field that requires a lot of passion and perseverance, regardless of how bad the circumstances may seem. It’s all a game of faith to me. There’s nothing else I love to do, and it’s my dream to use my love for storytelling as a way of taking care of my family and paying the big bills. Moving mountains is wild work, but I feel like I’ve gotta believe in something. Life’s too dark to just have faith in what I see. Read more>>
Chelle Nae
Being born and raised in west Phoenix has given me the opportunity to see and know all walks of life. My family was not able to provide the full support needed to cultivate my dreams and so from an early age I have primarily had to create my own opportunities to fulfill my life’s purpose. As a child and now as an adult I have always wanted to make a difference through creative expression and divine timing has given me many lessons in life. Despite the adversities faced, I have chosen to create art allows my experiences to help others find their own healing and cure or, at the very least, make people feel again. Read more>>
Ben Toppi
From making sooooo many important mistakes. Mistakes I’d never take back. Mistakes that all led to finding my purpose I think. Resilience is in shorter supply nowadays than ever. Turn on your phone and go on social media, you’ll find a million reasons to quit, she has a bigger following, he’s just natural in social situations, their art is a hundred times better than anything I could ever create… You have the sum of human knowledge, art, expression, idiocy, beauty, everything in your pocket. Resilience is a filter, it’s not necessarily armor that protects you from evil, it’s a transformative energy that turns adversity into opportunity. Read more>>
Danny Barros
My resilience comes from a combination of my life experiences, my professional journey, and the inspiring people I’ve had the privilege to work with. Growing up in Boston taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. The challenges I faced there, along with the community spirit, instilled in me a determination to overcome obstacles and keep pushing forward, no matter what.Professionally, my 19 years in the music industry have been a testament to resilience. Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the industry requires adaptability and a relentless drive. I’ve spearheaded marketing campaigns and release strategies for some of the biggest names in music and each project came with its unique set of challenges. Learning from these experiences and seeing the success of these campaigns has reinforced my belief in the power of persistence and innovation. Read more>>
Rumill Maldonado
I draw my resilience from my mom, who taught me that setbacks are opportunities to grow stronger. Her perseverance and unwavering support have shaped how I face challenges with optimism, carrying her lessons with me in every adversity. Read more>>
Noor Kidwai
Probably from my parents. They are both immigrants who came here and bought small businesses and struggled for years to make it work and make a better life for their family. I saw firsthand how much time and effort they put in and I also helped and participated. I saw when you’re dedicated to something and continue even when you feel lost or unsure you can always push through eventually to a place that’s a lot for pleasant and abundant. Read more>>
Niharika Jain
I think so I got the inspiration to be resilient from my father. He was the one who would always try and focus on the things that he could control and motivate himself or anyone else too to continue working hard to overcome difficulties in life. I have also realized this that this is a part and parcel of life. Every difficulty or challenge that you encounter is a journey itself and it allows you to become more stronger. Having said that, it is not always the best feeling when you encounter these situations. For me there were a lot of times where I encountered difficulties. Read more>>
Maurice Harmon
From not having I know what it feels like to go without whether that be shelter, food or people & etc. When being put in position of all or nothing it’s kind of like it’s all you. *Speaking from experience with that mind frame you can accomplish alot. Even when there is support the knowing of the support may fall short puts you in a ok, I got this I’ll handle it. Because when something can go wrong it will go wrong somethings you can’t control but the things you can it’s like I’d bet on myself any day before I bet on someone else. Read more>>
Margaret Havens Obenauf
Family, Cultural Experiences and Unexpected Life Situations. As the second of four children, I was always the adventurous one and was given many opportunities where I had to learn how to overcome any and all obstacles put in front of me. Early in life I learned how to fend for myself and even went as far as labeling myself the “second mother” of the family. My parents taught me strength, love and gave me many opportunities but also felt it was important to give me opportunities to sort through the obstacles of life even at a young age. My father was born in Germany and at the age of 7, I had the opportunity to go stay with my Great Aunt and spend summer in school there. The Great Aunt who I stayed with was loving but also blind and did not speak English, so even at the age of 7, I had to learn how to get to school, get home from school all while making new friends and learning a new language. It’s an experience that I wouldn’t trade and it taught me so many valuable lessons from having to problem solve, open myself up and work through any insecurities that I may have had in order to make friends as well as provide me with an appreciation for culture on a grander scale. Read more>>
Francesca Lia Block
I have two children and no matter what happens I am here to care for them for as long as I live. That is what has gotten me through many financial, physical and emotional challenges. Read more>>
Kristyn Carriere
Resilience is a built trait that comes from discipline, hope and gratefulness. I come from a background of relative privilege – being born a white, Canadian, female; however, I have still faced my line of personal challenges in life. I can honestly say that partaking in competitive sports as a child and youth, set me up for success later in life. Competitive figure skating taught me discipline. It allowed me to feel inspired and feel hope so I could create and chase my dreams. I was taught to put the work in to try and achieve those dreams, and this mechanism is something I continue to carry with me. I’ve moved to new countries, been divorced, lost a partner in a tragic accident, started a business, and born a child with Down Syndrome – all hurdles in their own rite – and yet, having a pity party and not finding the silver lining or new opportunity has just never been in my repertoire. Instead, I look to what was and try to understand what life lesson I am meant to be learning. I take that forward and move onwards. I’m always scanning for an experience that will challenge me to grow, because there is such a wonderful feeling when you hit those milestones of progress that far outway the hurt you might feel when obstacles come your way. Read more>>
Gerry Young
Listening to new music! Read more>>
Amy Williams
I grew up understanding that one did what had to be done – often without question. My resilience was born from the stories of the women in my family. My grandmothers both raised families during the great depression era while working to keep their families fed and solvent. One grandmother wanted to be a movie star, the other a milliner. They set aside their dreams to fit the social norms. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school, pushing our mother into a battle of reentering the workforce while raising small children. She persevered. We adapted. We learned from her examples. As the eldest daughter in a family of girls raised in the 60s-70s, I embraced the idea of female career potential. It was the time of spoken possibility still girdled by traditional expectations. Excellence was the goal; achieving self-ascribed dreams was applauded, yet societal appropriateness still guided outcomes. Read more>>
Rebekah Leaman
I was raised in a family where failure wasn’t discussed. It did not exist. You kept trying until you found a way to work through the problem. It wasn’t only that we viewed things through a “glass half full ” lens, it was that failure was not viewed as negative. What others may have viewed as a failure, we were taught to view as just another learning point or obstacle to overcome. Viewing life as a continuous line of self improvement rather than a forward and backward of goals and failures help circumstances feel less overwhelming. Read more>>
Christa Camarillo She/Her
My resilience stems from doing internal work and seeking support to help me understand how to navigate hard things. Accumulated life experiences play a significant role in shaping our approach to life’s obstacles. Embracing difficult challenges with an attitude of curiosity and vulnerability offers valuable opportunities to gain insights, tools, and strategies for personal growth. After overcoming hard times, I document and speak about my emotions to better prepare for future difficulties, drawing from the familiarity of past experiences. My achievements and resilience stem from acknowledging failures and recognizing recurring patterns, stressing the belief that life will present similar lessons until we learn from them, evolve, or overlook them, and endure the consequences. Read more>>
Aimee DuFresne
I had never really thought of myself as resilient. Courageous? Perhaps. Bold in following where my heart led me? Absolutely. Then, in 2008, my father lost a long battle with cancer. A few months later, my 30-year-old husband was killed in a motorcycle accident. During that period, I felt anything but resilient. Courage and boldness drained from me as well. One day, a friend said something I will never forget. “It’s terrible what happened,” he started, “But look at it this way: This is the hardest it will ever get. You get through this, you get through anything.” His words ignited this glimmer of hope, this feeling of freedom. So, I kept going. Sometimes slowly, but it gained momentum. Running a marathon, moving countries, changing careers, falling in love and getting married again, writing a book, spending four and half years criss-crossing the country on an unconventional book tour and living a nomadic life while housesitting and petsitting, settling clear across the country from where we started. Read more>>
