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.
Meitong Ye
My resilience comes from a deep passion for storytelling and a strong support system. My family instilled in me the values of hard work and perseverance, always encouraging me to pursue my dreams and never give up, no matter how tough the journey might get. Read more>>
Laurentino Ezra Quemuel III
Resilience is an interesting concept for me; in my mind, it’s our capacity to spring back after being bent out of shape, a kind of figurative durability, as opposed to a literal one. But this metaphorical quality makes it kind of nebulous for me: after all, what does it mean to hold a shape, let alone be “bent” out of one? I don’t have a precise answer, but I certainly felt that way in my long journey to art school. There was a fair amount of pushback from my folks when I first made it clear that I wanted to become an animator. Compelled by their pragmatism (and no shortage of love,) they dissuaded me from this path before ruling it out entirely, telling me in very direct terms to pursue something that would actually sustain me. I don’t fault them for being reluctant, but their admonishment felt nothing short of world-ending. I swallowed my pride, but I would sooner choke on it than let it go. I never stopped hoping they’d change their minds, even as I bruised my hands fruitlessly trying to shape myself into a lawyer instead. It wasn’t what I wanted, but I continued applying myself, and drew whenever I could to stay in touch with my dream. I told myself that I might like this alternate path; and if I didn’t, they’d eventually get the hint. Read more>>
Sean Carney
I would imagine that I get my resilience from my upbringing. Early in my childhood I was raised by my single Mother and my Maternal Grandparents. I saw how hard my Mother had to work to provide for our family and appreciated my Grandparents for providing the necessary support that she and I needed. Read more>>
Laila L
I gained resilience from the teachings of my parents and my family. My parents always taught me that your dreams and goals are achievable through hard work, persistence and dedication. They always pushed me to keep at my craft no matter how hard it gets or how slow your progress may be. To give up is to let down your dream, and living your dream is living life. Read more>>
Gina Gina’s Simple Beauty
Resilience… it’s a word I love because , We CAN overcome anything and everything when we find our power. For me, it’s my faith. And the the stronger my faith in Jesus has become , I feel unstoppable. In my younger years, I was insecure, scared and always seeking approval. And that lead me to addiction and hard times real quick. But in that journey, is where I started therapy and church and it changed my life. It’s where I got the guidance and help to start my own business at 24 years old and now it’s 27 years later and I’m still working and loving it and actually thriving more than ever. I found my purpose, I love making women feel & look amazing, because again when we find that in ourselves, we shine. And as life is , there was still difficult times in life , but every time I lean in to the word and turn to my faith, I have seen and I know I will get through . 3 years ago, I was walking through a lot of loss, lost my 23 year old cousin to cancer , then my Dad to a stroke and in Los Angeles, life was becoming so expensive and hard and stressful. And then with Covid, the world felt like just too much. My husband & I decided to take a trip with friends to Tennessee, just to hear sone country music and when I came to Tennessee, something happened. I just felt this peace , and beauty I’ve never felt, and I knew I wanted to live here. Read more>>
Michelle Hadley
I think a lot about resilience because my life has required an extraordinary amount of it. I believe resilient people are fundamentally optimistic, big picture thinkers. Growing up, I think it’s so important for us to have experiences where things don’t go our way – we don’t win or we don’t get the grade we wanted. These experiences teach us to pick ourselves back up and try again. I must have developed this somewhere along the way because, when I was in my mid-20s, I ended up in a very abusive relationship. He was a US Marshal. It was incredibly scary, and the abuse didn’t stop when I left him. In fact, it escalated. About 6 months after leaving him, he (and the woman he had married) framed me for a crime. If you can imagine spending 3 months in a jail cell with almost no access to sunlight and being labeled as a snitch, it is a special kind of hell. After 3 months, the District Attorney said “oopsy! we got the wrong person.” But the life I had worked so hard to build had been destroyed – no more job, no more apartment, no more nice car. And I had lost my anonymity. It made finding employment almost impossible. Read more>>
Kinga Angelys
Eliminating any expectation that life is supposed to be easy has really helped endure hardship and embrace challenges that are beyond my control. We have the power to choose to bounce back or fall apart and there is always a lesson to be learned if one looks closely enough. Making music has personally been a powerful and positive force for building resilience and for the listener, the right song can lift us when we are at our lowest. When I write a song, I dive deeper into the joyful and painful experiences that are somewhat unresolved in my heart and give them a voice. And when something bad happens instead of burying feelings, songwriting allows me to unpack the difficult emotions and feel the anger, grief and pain while channeling it artistically – creating something empowering and enduring from the chaos. The lyrics, music, album art and even the promotion all play a role in honouring the experience Read more>>
Sandy Ellis
My resilience is forged through the crucible of life itself — shaped by experiences that have tested and transformed me. Life’s unpredictability has taught me that adversity isn’t just inevitable but essential for growth. It’s through facing pain and overcoming tragedy that I’ve learned resilience isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about choosing to grow stronger with every challenge life presents One of my favorite things to do is surf. As a surfer, I’ve learned to approach life similarly to how I approach surfing. When a huge wave is coming towards you, the only way to get through it is to charge it. You have to head directly towards it, either by swimming over it or ducking under it. Then, you set yourself up to turn around and catch the next wave that’s coming. Life, especially resilience in my case dealing with grief, is much the same. I’ve faced a lot of loss in a very short amount of time, (I’ve endured the loss of a childhood best friend to suicide right after high school, a dear college friend in a plane crash, my daughter’s father in a base-jumping accident, and, two weeks later, my youngest brother to suicide.) these experiences of loss profoundly shaped my resilience. The only way I knew to deal with it was the same way I handle catching the next wave—I charged it. I sought therapy, read every self-help book I could find, listened to podcasts, and leveraged mentors Read more>>
Amelia Mahrie
Entering an industry where the majority of your job is auditioning just to get rejected takes tough mental armour. When I first started independently submitting myself to projects, I would get really attached to specific roles or specific concepts, and then be really disappointed when I wouldn’t book them. Don’t get me wrong – that still happens today – but as I’ve grown as both an actor and individual, I find myself reminding that insecure, people-pleasing part of me that I’m not going to be perfect for every role. And I’m not meant to be. As actors, we get the privilege to tell stories from a variety of perspectives and lives that are not our own, and for that reason there are going to be so many different voices needed to build each cinematic world. Additionally, I’ve gotten the opportunity to help cast a handful of film projects and through this, have been able to develop a different frame of mind as an actor. I’ve had multiple filmmaker friends of mine reach out and say, ‘Hey, I’m looking for this type of actor to fit this type of character description,’ and then I get to play matchmaker. I’m super fortunate to have a great group of creatives to turn to and think, ‘Ok, a) who matches the filmmaker’s work style and direction well, and b) who do I think can tell this character’s story with the strongest voice?’ Read more>>
Shayla Foster Nisha Williams
Shayla and I are cousins who grew up as Best Friends. Our mothers were also cousins who grew up to be Best Friends. We get our strength and resilience from them. Both were amazing women who overcame every obstacle thrown their way. They taught us to always go to God, first and that prayer works. I believe their values and morals are what guided us to become they women we are today. Read more>>
Sam Pierce
I have truly learned the most about resilience from my clients — human and dog alike. A large part of the work that I do with companion animals is building resilience by teaching them skills to help cope and regulate in stressful situations: I see dogs who struggle with their environment, new people or other animals, changes to their routine, etc., and I see people who struggle with all of those same things. Watching them learn how to advocate for themselves, shake it off, and bounce back is so rewarding, and has taught me more and more about how to do the same thing myself. I have a client dog named Snoopy who has some pretty big feelings about the world. He can be reactive, especially when he’s on his porch watching over the neighborhood. Over the last few months of working with him, I have watched Snoopy go from being at times inconsolable when barking past the fence at a passerby to being a pro at saying, “hey, there’s someone out there” and then returning to his afternoon sunbathing. His mom too has gotten so much more comfortable taking a breath, letting Snoopy feel his feelings, supporting him if needed, and then going back to enjoying her own afternoon. The progress they’ve made together in becoming more resilient has been so cool to see, and I definitely take a page out of their book often. That’s just one of my clients that has strengthened this skill for me, but I really do learn so much from everyone I work with — it’s all symbiotic. Read more>>
Karee Bennett
In terms of my resilience, I would say that it stems from both nature and nurture. Due to being born with cerebral palsy, I learned at an early age that giving up was, quite literally, not an option for me. Where this was viewed as a disability in most cases, it actually fueled my drive to persevere. What was considered a handicap helped me to learn the importance of perseverance, even when all seems lost. In addition to this, my family was full of survivors. In my immediate family alone, I’ve had an older brother survive cancer, a mother who managed to show perseverance despite battling substance abuse issues. She’s been quite the fighter. I’m also the product of a father who went from the streets to construction to city hall (all while being present for me and for my younger sisters). My entire life, I have been surrounded by resilient people who lifted me up just by watching as they lifted themselves up. Even to this day, my entire inner circle is defined by inner strength and resilience. It’s really all that I know. Read more>>
C.A. Hartway
My mom was relentless. No weather, no sickness, no obstacle, nor setback seemed to stop her, especially when it came to being a mother. I get my work erhic from her. She always found a way to push through hardtimes and maintain love. She gave me a sense of “all things are possible…” Read more>>
Cheryl Medeiros
When I was interviewing for my first career J-O-B, I remember being asked this question and not really understanding. By all accounts, I grew up pretty fortunate. We were middle class, white, my mom stayed home with us until we were in middle school, and my parents did a pretty great job sheltering us from the hard things in the world. BUT, if we dig a little deeper, you would see some of the hardships. My father, while a good man, has struggled with addiction my entire life. When I try to identify what it is he is addicted to, what I’ve come up with is: an escape. He’s addicted to escaping reality, feelings, life. I’m sure that is true of most addicts at the core. There are memories that I’ve tried to escape my whole life of the scary times he drank too much when I was young and I just wanted to disappear and make the scary stop. There are the scary times he drank too much when I was an adolescent when I felt responsible for shielding my little sister from the experience. There are the times he was barely conscious in his chair because he took too many of the pills that the doctors so freely prescribed him. There are the times the sheriff was there because he called in saying he was considering hurting himself. Or the times he decided he could quit on his own and then he’d have seizures and we’d have to call the ambulance. And so on… Read more>>
Brandon Thomson
So, on my father side, I come from a long line of men that started their own business. My grandfather uses to tell me stories of my great uncles starting their own business at a young age and how many trials and tribulations they had to face to get to their goals. So, when there are times, I felt I wanted to give up I always remember how much drive and resilience they had to keep moving forward which inspired me to never stop. Read more>>
Chika Nnanna
Resilience for me is deeply rooted in my passion and commitment to making a positive impact. As a Registered Nurse and the founder of the Ladies and Lipstick Travel Club, I’ve encountered many challenges that have tested my limits. My unwavering belief in the value of my work and the joy it brings to others keeps me motivated. Growing up, I was taught the importance of perseverance and hard work, which has been reinforced by the support of my family and community. These experiences have equipped me with the strength to navigate setbacks and continue striving for success. Read more>>
Michele Montgomery
I used to think my superpower was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I stumbled upon tragic events like a gold medalist. Despite having a stable, loving family, my house burned down, I was caught in a riot, and I arrived at the apartment of a best friend moments after he died by suicide–all before I turned 20. Yet those events were the building blocks of my resilience. The adversity in my life became the weights I lifted to gain strength. They taught me I could survive tough moments and once again find joy. Read more>>
Sabrina Rodriguez
As a proud Latina raised in Southern California, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside the unwavering support, love, and wisdom of my family. My grandparents, who journeyed to California in pursuit of better opportunities, instilled resilience in our bloodline. My parents, entrepreneurs who forged their own path, further reinforced the value of hard work and integrity. From an early age, I learned to strive for excellence and to contribute positively to both myself and my community. My unwavering commitment to honing my skills, expanding my knowledge, and embodying virtuous qualities fuels my resilience—a resilience that drives me to give back to my loved ones and actively contribute to the growth of my community. Read more>>
Diana Dorsey
My resilience stems from my personal experiences, shaping who I am today. As a mother of three and a business owner, my days are filled with responsibilities and challenges. There’s no time to waste; I must stay focused and strong for those who depend on me. Life has taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance and determination. I’ve always aspired for more, pushing myself to grow, find happiness, and achieve success. Each challenge I face only fuels my drive to become a better person. This relentless pursuit of improvement is what keeps me going, ensuring I remain resilient no matter what life throws my way. Read more>>
Brendan McLoughlin
I get my resilience from my daily practice of Stoicism. Each day I read a passage from the Daily Stoic and journal. Every day, we are faced with difficult situations in our lives and interactions with people. The trials we face should show our strengths and weaknesses. Look beyond each incident and seek the habit of putting it to good use. Should an unfortunate event happen, look inside yourself and ask ‘what resources do I have in dealing with this?’ Read more>>
Ed Twine
This is such an interesting question to me because I think resilient people rarely think of themselves as resilient. They just don’t give up and figure things out. There have been MANY times in my business where I’ve thought about giving up. But ultimately, I think what keeps me in the business is the passion behind it. You have to love what you do. When I’m putting together a suit, or explaining to someone the difference between fabrics, I automatically get into it because it’s exciting to me. I love this craft. So ultimately I think loving what you do will keep you resilient through the tough times. Read more>>
Tomike Ogugua
I get my resilience from watching my mother and everything she has triumphed over. Coming from another country for a chance at success in the United States; being an immigrant and having to endure and persevere through so so much; then being a single parent on top of everything else. I not only get my resilience from her, but my hustle and work ethic from her as well. Watching her let me know that everything is earned, never given. I also get my resilience from the Community where I was raised. I carry the legacy of Durham, NC, and Nigeria with me. My hometown, “Bull City” has a rich history of Black entrepreneurship and enterprise. Read more>>
Susan Smallwood
I get my resilience from LIFE’S challenges starting from childhood. Growing up in an abusive household with an alcoholic father who was mentally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive towards me and my mother, I didn’t have self-esteem. At the age of 14/15, I was removed from my family’s home when we lived at Presidio Army Base in San Francisco and placed in Foster care. I attempted suicide and was taken to the hospital, at which time the nurse saw bruises all over my body and called Child Protection Services. It was from then that I learned to be a survivor. Read more>>
B Jet
Feel like it’s in me, not on me. Ever since I was a kid I watched my mom do it all by herself. I’ve seen her work 3 jobs and still make time to come to my games. I’ve seen her experience domestic violence and at the time I couldn’t do anything about it. There were times she didn’t eat so that we could. I’ve seen her give me her last so that I wouldn’t go without and that’s never gone unnoticed. She couldn’t quit, she had to make a way and she always did. I feel like she loves us more than she loves herself. Adding to that, I feel like majority of us grew up on Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Kids Next Door, Etc. They always kept fighting until the end, never said never. If they couldn’t find a way, they would make a way and I resonate with that wholeheartedly. You don’t lose until you quit. Read more>>
Sarah Johnstad
Developing grit and “resilience” is in my opinion, one of the most crucial traits you MUST develop to survive as a business owner, especially as a female business owner. You would think that being a luxury wedding planner, you wouldn’t need grit or resilience. BUT LET ME TELL YOU! Even in 2024, some people don’t respect or listen to a woman in charge. I have realized that to make it in the business owner world, you have to have a rock-hard tough skin and TRUST yourself. I was raised by two parents who worked extremely hard while I was growing up. My mom was a district manager for a large corporate company, constantly gone working. My father has been a Firefighter and Paramedic for 25 years as well as a Dive Rescue scuba diver. I have watched my dad go through and grow through the hardest, traumatizing and difficult things in his career.
I figure that if my dad can make it through 72 hour shifts on no sleep, and deal with trauma+physical exhaustioin, I can handle my career and standing up for myself as a female business owner! The BIGGEST piece of advice I give to fellow female business owners is to ALWAYS trust your gut. Always. The only times I have ever ended up with a nightmare client, in a bad situation or dealing with something I don’t want to ever deal with again, It’s because I ignored my gut feelings/intuition. Learning to trust yourself, your opinions and your beliefs will get you SO much farther in business and in life then cute business cards or a catchy slogan. Work hard, treat your clients right and VALUE your instincts/intuition. You are stronger and more capable then you realize. Read more>>
Shockie G
My resilience comes from a space of needing to prove something to myself. I have dealt with so many traumas and failures in my life that I have learned and healed from. It only makes sense that success is coming. If you continue to climb a mountain, no matter how hard it is you will eventually reach the summit as long as you keep moving in that direction. Read more>>
Ryan Mateling
I think I was just born with it, I saw it in my Grandparents and I see it in my parents and the rest of my family. Read more>>
Joe Scarnici
I’ve been living on my own since I was 16, back in junior high school. My resilience comes from having to figure things out by myself from a young age. Growing up in Western Massachusetts in the 90s, I was right in the middle of what we now call the “opioid epidemic.” I saw a lot of people around me struggling with addiction to pharmaceuticals and other drugs, heading down some rough paths. It was then that I decided to carve my own path and aim for something more than what my surroundings had to offer. With that mindset, I worked hard to create a better future for myself. Read more>>
Ricco Soares
My resilience comes from a deep passion for what I do and a firm belief in my vision. Over the years, I’ve faced numerous challenges, from financial constraints to adapting to new environments. Each obstacle has only strengthened my resolve. I draw inspiration from my personal experiences and the support of those who believe in my work. My resilience is fueled by the satisfaction of overcoming difficulties and the drive to continue pursuing my dreams despite setbacks. My unwavering dedication and encouragement from my peers and clients keep me moving forward. Read more>>
Robert Rodriguez
“I believe my positive outlook and growth mindset play a crucial role in my resilience. I tend to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.” My resilience comes from a blend of several factors. Firstly, I have a positive outlook and a growth mindset, which help me view challenges as opportunities for growth. My Mom milagros provide invaluable support, keeping me motivated and grounded. Past experiences, like starting and growing Yellow Butterfly Coffee, have taught me a lot about my strengths and abilities. Additionally, my faith gives me peace and perspective, while maintaining my physical and mental health through regular exercise and mindfulness practices keeps me strong. Finally, my passion for my business and the goals I set for myself drive me to overcome obstacles. All these elements together form the foundation of my resilience Read more>>
Poca Nova
I would say I get my resilience from GOD. I never had an I give up mindset. If plan A didn’t work; I would move on to plan B or until the problem was resolved. Life is full of challenges and the enemy only has one job. That job is to kill, steal and destroy. No matter my mental or emotional mindset; I know I can overcome any obstacle thrown my way. Read more>>
Bethany Tipps
I was asked, “Where did you get your resilience from?” Honestly, I think everyone wants to excel from the start. Resilience is something nobody, including myself, ever wants to cultivate. But I realized that, as the quote I held onto when I started my flower business says, “You have to be bad at something before you can be good at it.” I understood that to grow personally, I had to begin somewhere. There’s a proverb I heard long ago that says, “Don’t despise small beginnings.” This idea has been crucial throughout my work journey. Often, we try things that don’t work out, and we have to try again. When I first started, I had no background in flowers—just floral stationery and a desire to give it a go. No doors opened for me; nobody let me in. That’s why I started my own business. I couldn’t break into the industry due to my lack of experience, so I decided to create my own path. It might sound silly, but when you have no background in something, it’s tough to get your foot in the door. Little by little, I trusted my instincts and created things I found beautiful. Now, I’ve had people who let me in and from whom I’ve learned. Read more>>
Rakeiya McKnight
Resilience, for me, is deeply rooted in my faith and purpose. As the owner of Guided Notes ( a faith-based clothing brand) and a Biologist, I draw my strength from my unwavering belief in God and His promises. My journey has not always been easy, but I’ve learned to see challenges as opportunities for growth and refinement. Each obstacle I’ve faced has reinforced my conviction that I am walking in my God-given purpose. My resilience stems from knowing that I am not alone; I am guided and supported by a higher power. This faith fuels my determination to persevere, to adapt, and to keep moving forward, no matter the circumstances. Moreover, my resilience is driven by the mission of Guided Notes. I am passionate about inspiring and uplifting others through our faith-based apparel. Knowing that our brand makes a positive impact in people’s lives motivates me to overcome any hurdle. I am committed to this vision and to the community we serve, and that commitment gives me the strength to rise above challenges. In essence, my resilience comes from a combination of faith, purpose, and the unwavering belief that every challenge is an opportunity to grow closer to God and to fulfill the mission He has placed in my heart. Read more>>
Bobi Brouse Bertling
I don’t think there is choice when it comes to being resilient. You can either move forward and keep trying or sit down and wallow. My dad faced so much adversity in his life – but his glass was always half full. He never complained, he never dwelled. He moved forward and took steps to either change the outcome or find a new way to reach his goals. My dad taught me by example, one of the many gifts he gave me. Read more>>
Yolanda Benning
My resilience stems from my early experiences of having to navigate difficult circumstances on my own. From being kicked out at a young age for being true to myself to surviving on the streets in a challenging environment, I’ve developed strength and resourcefulness that have shaped who I am today. These experiences have undoubtedly forged a resilience that allows me to face adversity with determination and courage. Read more>>
