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.
Lumalia Armstrong
Refined by the fire of life, but if I’m honest, the fire of my soul, here to lead a new way of being for humanity that isn’t based on solving problems but by letting our greatest gift as lovers and creatives lead the way. I’ve always been tancious my whole life, and my childhood from the outside seemed very privileged, it was. Read more>>
Eliana Bonaguro
I think resilience, for me, has always come from turning pain into creation. Putting thoughts into art has helped me survive some of the most difficult times. When I put a feeling onto paper — whether through a surreal figure or a quiet metaphor — it becomes something I can see, name, and eventually understand. Read more>>
Fanchon Harris
I get my resilience from my passion for helping people experience the world and create memories that last a lifetime. Running Endless Possibilities Travel hasn’t always been easy, especially during times when travel slowed down but my love for what I do keeps me going. I draw strength from my faith, my family, and my clients who trust me to turn their dreams into reality. Read more>>
Dani Wieczorek
My resilience is an ancestral force that was passed along to me since I was very young. My family knew that the world might try to name or define me, so they gave me tools -mostly courage and confidence- to write my own stories. Read more>>
Paulette Perhach
I definitely get my resilience from my experience in Peace Corps. I went to Paraguay without speaking more than a little Spanish. They also mix in the indigenous language, Guaraní, and I struggled so much with learning the language. But if I wanted to feel like a human being instead of an alien, I had to learn the language. Read more>>
Tad Inoue
I find hope and positivity in my faith in a higher power in this life. Resilience for me comes from knowing that I am on a good path in this life. I may not know where I end up at times but I know where I am going. I am on a path that is about how I truly am. Read more>>
Elizabeth Marcello
12 years ago I experienced a transformative event commonly referred to as an NDE or Near Death Experience. My physical death, crossing out of the this world and into the realm that is pure energy and complete knowledge and understanding resulted in my gaining certain extraordinary abilities. Upon returning to my physical body I was then educated on how to best use these skills. Read more>>
La Tonya Powers
The truth is, resilience isn’t automatic — it’s cultivated. It’s not something you’re born with; it’s something you build. I often say, “I’m not angry — I’ve learned.” That phrase has become a personal mantra, a reflection of the growth that came through adversity. Read more>>
Robert Washington
I get my resilience from my mom. Growing up, I watched her carry the weight of the world on her shoulders as a single mother, yet she never let it break her spirit. Even when times were tough, she found a way to make sure we had what we needed — and somehow, she did it with grace, love, and faith. Read more>>
JoJo Bennington
As a physical and sexual abuse survivor, and also overcoming drug addiction, has taught me that whoever I am being at the moment, or whatever situation is my current experience, that does not define who I am for my entire life. Read more>>
Meenu Singh
My resilience wasn’t something I was born with , it’s something I built, piece by piece. It comes from the moments when life tested me, and I refused to give up. From the quiet nights when I had only my own strength to lean on. From the pain that tried to break me but instead taught me how to rise with grace. Read more>>
Cori Smoker
I got my resilience from every storm I’ve walked through and every time I refused to give up. Recovery taught me how to fight for myself and believe in new beginnings. Being a mom to Makayla gave me strength I didn’t know I had — she’s been my reason to keep going even on the hardest days. Read more>>
Melissa Rousu
I get my resilience from my dad. He always told us, ‘There is nothing stopping you but fear and air.’ This mantra pushes me to keep going even when I face imposter syndrome, setbacks, or general disappointment. As a self-published writer, I constantly see others receiving book offers, winning awards, and seeing their books on major retailer shelves. Read more>>
Denyelle Nelson
My resilience comes from a long line of strong women — my mother, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother. I’ve watched the women in my family push through every season of life with grace, faith, and determination. It’s in my blood. Read more>>
Megh Patil
I come from a family of engineers and doctors. So yeah—telling them I wanted to make films for a living was… interesting. No one had a clue how the film industry worked. Neither did I. But I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. So I had to learn—and somehow convince them that maybe there’s a way to live doing something you actually enjoy. Read more>>
Dhruvi Nisar
I believe my resilience comes from watching my father. Growing up, our family faced financial challenges, but he never let us feel the weight of it. His determination and ability to keep moving forward, no matter how difficult life became, taught me the true meaning of perseverance. Read more>>
Demia Avery
I get my resilience from life itself — from every challenge, every setback, and every “no” that pushed me to find another way. Growing up, I learned early that nothing worth having comes easy, and that mindset has carried me through every stage of my journey. Read more>>
Chloe Browning
Resilience, to me, is equal parts optimism and determination. I began my career during the pandemic, when the world felt uncertain and the design industry was at a standstill. I took every opportunity I could, sometimes out of pure faith, and even when projects fell through, I kept creating. Read more>>
Darren Paltrowitz
I think my resilience comes from a mix of family, curiosity, and gratitude. My parents taught me early on that things rarely go exactly as planned, but if you stay consistent and kind, you’ll usually land in the right place. My wife is a huge part of that too — she regularly reminds me to stay grounded and to laugh when things get overwhelming. Read more>>
Sergey Pavlov
I believe my resilience comes from a mix of two things — real-world hardship and a deep sense of purpose. I grew up in an environment where nothing was handed to you. Every achievement had to be earned through persistence, discipline, and belief in your own vision even when nobody else saw it yet. Read more>>
Kristen Kincer
Jesus. I get my resilience from Jesus. As the founder and equine-assisted facilitator of a nonprofit for kins, teens, and adults who are struggling with their mental health and/or are survivors of abuse, trafficking, some days are tough. Read more>>
Yuhan Wang
It’s a very long journey to train myself with strong resilience and I’m still working on it every day. I got sick easily when I was a child. For as long as I can remember, I was either catching a cold or having allergic reactions to something. It seemed that I was very sensitive to my surroundings. Read more>>
Vincent Chapman Jr
My resilience comes from two places. My strong foundation with God and never forgetting where I came from. I’ve seen that road before, I know what it leads to and I refuse to go back or watch anyone else fall into it if I can help it. Read more>>
Kenzie Reynolds
I get my resilience from a mix of hard experiences and a refusal to let those experiences define me. Losing my dad and then having to step up to prepare his estate, including my childhood home, for sale forced me into situations I never thought I would be in. Read more>>
Lorre Wilson
My resilience didn’t come from business school — it came from motherhood. When you’ve juggled schedules, solved unexpected problems, and learned to adapt on the fly, you’re more than ready for the fast-paced, ever-changing world of real estate. There’s no salary, no clock to punch, and no guarantee. You have to build your business from scratch — brand, leads, systems, reputation, and consistency. Read more>>
Romanichel
I get my resilience from my family and my neighborhood. Coming from a family of immigrants and being a first/second-generation Bronx kid has shaped the way I carry myself in every way. This industry is filled with rejection, criticism, uncertainty, and vulnerability— but being a kid from the Bronx, raised by a family that overcame everything thrown our way, made me tougher. Read more>>
Debbie Schanberger
I got my resilience from my childhood. My mother battled manic depression and then passed from colon cancer when I was young. My father also had his own set of mental struggles to deal with, so I put my childhood aside at age 8 and grew up to help take care of my father and brother. Read more>>
Christopher Romano
So how have I managed to persevere despite the challenges related to chronic disease. In short, I can be sarcastic and say that I have stopped listening to the “voices” but when it comes to something as serious and need of attention I can honestly say Resilience, family, friends and a positive outlet where you can escape for a while. Read more>>
Greg Chopoorian
We are all the result of so many who have come before us, and blazed trails and set examples. I lean heavily on the overcoming experiences of my Armenian grandparents, who lost their homeland and most of their families in a genocide that still reverberates in their descendants to this day. Read more>>
Jeff Jay Whitaker
I’ve been challenged multiple times in my life, tested to the maximum. And during those tests I’ve become conscious of the love I have for myself and my sport basketball. I was tested on car accident which had me with 4 spine fractures in 2020, and had to relearn how to do everything. Read more>>
Henry Pham
Being different from normal is not always bad. When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with a disorder called autism. However, I did not find out until I was in high school. Autism is a disability that limits my ability to communicate and socialize with others. Read more>>
Helene Zupanc
Don’t Believe Everything You Think: How OCD Hijacked My Brain—And How Mantras Helped Me Take It Back “Don’t believe everything you hear – even in your own mind.” – Daniel G. Amen This quote might sound like something you’d read on a coffee mug or an Instagram quote slide. But when your own mind is feeding you a 24/7 stream of terrifying, intrusive thoughts? Read more>>
Avrey Gabriell
I get my resilience from the moments that tried to break me — the births that stretched me beyond my body, the heartbreaks that stretched me beyond my heart, and the seasons of single motherhood that taught me what strength really looks like. Resilience didn’t come from never falling apart; it came from learning how to rise softer each time I did. Read more>>
Madison Sheppard
I had seen myself in many difficult and unfortunate circumstances; from being homeless many times (including at 8 years old) and currently facing homelessness again, to experiencing prejudices against me for my disability, to experiencing firsthand the effects of the climate crisis right at my doorstep. Read more>>
Ladan Johari
I’ve built my resilience through constant change, new places, new people, new creative fields. Each shift taught me how to start over, adapt fast, and stay grounded. When things felt uncertain, I reminded myself that curiosity is stronger than fear. Read more>>
Rebekah Saint
I’m an actress- and rejection is part of my everyday life. But my story of falling started long before the stage. I dropped out several times, moved more than 30 times across two countries, and faced hardships that constantly forced me to start over. Read more>>
Jade Ramirez
I get my resilience from how I was raised. My grandmother introduced me to dance at age three, and I learned early that discipline, creativity, and hard work go hand in hand. I trained nonstop, became the youngest member of my studio’s competition team, and even started teaching as a teenager. Rejection showed up early, but instead of stopping me, it motivated me to grow. Read more>>
Christy Johnson
Resilience, for me, comes from one place — the love of God. It’s not something I muster up on my own strength; trust me, I’ve tried that and ended up exhausted. What truly anchors me is knowing I am fully known and fully loved by God. That truth gives me the courage to get back up when life knocks me down. Read more>>
Casen Alesi
I get it from my family in general, both blood and non-related family. From my parents, I learned what true perseverance and genuine hospitality look like. My mom has always been the type of person who leads with strength and honestly doesn’t really give a damn about excuses (if they’re not important). Read more>>
Ross Hightower
I come from a family with deep mental health struggles. I was lucky in the sense I was the youngest child and a boy, which allowed me to escape a lot of the turmoil. But I didn’t emerge into adulthood unscathed. I inherited my father’s tendency to despondency, melancholy and low self-esteem. Read more>>
Kathy Ortiz
What Resilience Means to Me Resilience, for me, is what rises when everything is falling apart. It’s finding the strength to reinvent yourself when life forces you to start over. It’s having the courage to follow your purpose even when the path is lonely, to believe in yourself when doubt tries to drown your faith. Read more>>
Beth Buffington
I am resilient. I’ve been the creative in the room who: • Didn’t have enough experience • Wasn’t old enough to ‘know’ • Wasn’t a man • Was pregnant • Had too much experience • Was too old… 30, 40, 50 60… Read more>>
Angie Dickison
My mom suddenly became very ill with a life-threatening illness when I was in my twenties. She had been hospitalized for quite some time and was deteriorating. One night, the doctors told us she would not live if she did not receive a liver transplant in the next twenty-four hours. Read more>>
