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.
Madeline Krivel
I harbor my resilience from honoring my late brother Justin Skylar Krivel through my metal artistry. Just passed away in 2018 and I’ve been honoring him consistently since than. I hand stamped each piece with my makers mark as if he made it. I also help other’s dealing with grief through being open about it. Read More>>
Diana Keeler
When I first moved to Los Angeles, I received one of the best pieces of advice while working on a film set: “This city is going to try to burn you out. Make sure you pivot before you lose your spark.” I really took that to heart, dodging negativity and setbacks like Neo, and changing jobs when I could tell it was becoming too negative and stressful. Read More>>
Janet Bentley
This is a good question because I am not really sure. I have often wondered about this myself. I have read much research on resilience and it seems that genetics actually plays a much smaller part of this than earlier thought. Yet, my childhood was not filled with love, caring, and support – which is what seems to be a better indicator of resilience. Read More>>
Sara Lee Hughes
My resilience comes from two places: being able to adapt to the situation at hand; knowing that in order to be the artist that I want to be I must commit to the long game. The long game requires patience and perseverance. Read More>>
Rick “Wind” Herrera
My resilience came from my upbringing. Watching my mom raise three kids on her own. Growing up in a tough neighborhood in Brownsville where it taught me a lot from the negative to the positives. I believe some of my resilience came from within already; from the past lives that I learned and lived from. I continue to build on my resilience today; as I live on this journey and experience the good, the bad, the challenges, the Up’s, the down’s, it’s all lessons. Every new chapter for me is something I learn from; fatherhood continues to teach me resilience; also when I create art.
My journals, writings and the mirror reminds me of how far I came. Read More>>
Joyce Logan
My humble beginnings, I faced numerous obstacles and had to work hard for everything. I learned valuable lessons from my parent’s life challenges, mother’s strong work ethic and morals. My strength comes from embracing challenges and constantly seeking personal growth. Always, pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, I learned that I could overcome any obstacles that come my way. I surrounded myself with educated, well-rounded, loving families, and educators who inspired and motivated me along the way. With their support, along with my own determination, and paying for my own college education proved that nothing is impossible. Read More>>
William Alston Jr
Well since childhood I’ve always been told to never give it up if u start something see it through. Me & my siblings had the love of God installed in us at young ages thanks to my parents, so seeing the different trails & tribulations my parents went through but still pushing forward in spite of I believe that’s where I get it from. They say faith without works is dead so I have faith things will work in my favor but I also put my best foot forward to achieve whatever it is I put my mind to. Read More>>
Yassie Official
My son and my late mother they keep me going. I want my son to see that you can go after your dreams and make a living doing something you love. Growing up my mom always supported my desire to entertain and create music , she would always say ” if your going to do it , do it and don’t give up or let anyone tell you that you can’t make it’ . Read More>>
Jennie Lasater
I started Lice Ladies 15 years ago initially to be independent from an unhealthy marriage I was in. I was determined to succeed. I had seen a bit of success in the music industry, so I knew what hard work was. I was equipped to work 14 hours a day to make this company work. As the first few years proved to be more successful than I thought, I realized early on that I had a lot to learn to grow this business. I made many mistakes along the way. Read More>>
Ami Arapov
To me, being resilient is an essential skill that pushes us through our barriers so that we may take the experiences we have had in life whether good, hard or challenging and allows us to learn and grow mentally, physically and spiritually to be better individuals and truly enjoy this life we are living. I was raised by a single mother with the help of her mother and grandmother. These 3 strong women who were my Mom, Grandma and Great Grandmother,(Nanama) taught me everything I needed to know about building my foundation as a woman. They taught me to love and how to be loved. They taught me to respect others, be kind, work hard, be creative and so much more. Read More>>
Janel Kaden
Soccer. I was so passionate about the game I would play through any setback until the final whistle; game or training. The love of the game forced resilience into my brain’s design. Read More>>
Mauro Gallardo
Growing up playing tennis at a high level required hard work, discipline, and pushing my boundaries. The fact that my dad was a tennis touring pro didn’t give me any chance to waste time pretending that I was practicing, my father’s idea of training was the same as he applied to himself when he was competing, training hard, and improving day by day. Read More>>
Yasamine Farshad ND, CH
I firmly believe that resilience comes from facing past failures and digging deep within to find the courage and motivation to keep pushing forward. Failure is not something to be feared or avoided. It is an opportunity for growth and improvement. Embrace it as a chance to start new, but this time, you are equipped with new knowledge and resources based on the lessons you learned. You may be surprised that the outcome is better than expected this time around since you are going into the situation better prepared. Read More>>
Toots N Boots
We received our resilience through our faith and roots from our Southern background. We’ve both been married and divorced twice. We’re both military affiliated. In both instances, we’ve had to adapt and overcome trials and heartaches. When the odds have been against us, we’ve been able to rise above and move surpass negative encounters in order to keep living. This was most important so that our children could have a sense of the normalcy that they were accustomed to. Life doesn’t wait for us. We continue to educate ourselves, achieving goals and applying for higher positions in our careers. We are winning in life. We hold each other accountable and we continue to walk in purpose. Read More>>
Kiera Rahming-Red
Living in the U.S. as a Black, queer, plus-size woman isn’t easy. I have often been subjected to ridicule, ostracism, and even accusations of being possessed by evil spirits just because of my sexual orientation. I have frequently found myself as the only Black woman in a room full of racists who have no qualms expressing their microaggressions, so I had no choice but to develop some form of resilience. Entering into the woodworking world that is predominately cis-het has posed it’s challenges but it becomes a lot easier when you find your own community. Read More>>
Marc L.
My resilience came from going through difficult times in life and seeing how I always got through no matter what it was. Those few difficult experiences that I overcame, caused me to be resilient any situation that I’m in. I had to learn to trust that I would make it through and once I saw that I can, there’s no stopping me. Read More>>
Tiffany Dodson
I’ll start off by saying that there is an overwhelming amount of people who want to be an actor but I remind myself that we create art to survive. At any point in your life; there is a piece of music, a dance number, or a film that mirrors what you’re feeling. Art imitates life and when I’m given the opportunity to showcase any human experience, it’s the best place to be. Read More>>
Ashley Faith Council
My resilience come from my environment and the people around me. I believe that I embody the main 7 characteristics of resilience which is confidence, competence, connection, control, character, control, and contribution. Read More>>
Catherine Brown
My father being an Italian immigrant, always worked hard for his family, no matter the obstacles. He never accepted “no” or failure. He always persevered through life’s many challenges. He also battled severe anxiety, and PTSD from the Vietnam war. No one would have ever known though, as he always remained so resilient and positive about moving forward. There wasn’t anything that man couldn’t do. Read More>>
RaAmen Stallings
My resilience comes from me and my desire to elevate in life and do fulfilling tasks. I want every interaction with others to be able to meet their needs even on a simplistic nature. I believe investing in self is the key to a strong will. Read More>>
Saundrea Sampson
I’m excited to answer this question because resilience is one of Embodied Apparel’s brand foundations. It is described to open doors to encourage self-love and Black joy while living Black in America. That is what keeps me resilient. With that being said, I gain my resilience from ensuring I take the necessary time to take care of myself and ensuring I am fulfilling my life with things that I love and experiences that fill my cup. Entrepreneurship — let alone life can be hard to keep a handle on, but being able to take breaks keeps me able to create and power through obstacles life and business graciously gifts us. Read More>>
Emily Hersh
I believe that failure is very necessary. Every single time I have failed in my career, it taught me something new and led me to the next adventure. Resilience works in tandem with failure. In order to actually grow from your failure, you need to pick yourself back up and continue to work at your goals. Whenever I fail, I give myself time to be sad, but then try to remember what this failure has taught me, and that if I believe in myself, it will take me one step closer to my goals. Read More>>
Waldron Dunkley
Being in a place where I ended up saying “enough is enough”. I went to Florida A&M University for college in 2004, and my only concern was marching in the band, along with gaining notoriety amongst my peers. Because of this, I paid less and less attention to my grades and my studies while in college. With my grades not up to standards at all, I stayed in Tallahassee without a real purpose working any low income job I could get my hands on at the time, and just trying to “stay afloat”. Read More>>
Venisha Arnold
Well, NEVER SETTLE! Persistence is The Key! Let’s start from the logo of my nonprofit Persistence is The Key! Life is what you make it, be it unto your faith. If there is something you want Make It Happen! I am a very spiritual person. So if you combine my faith with my persistence I WILL ALWAYS WIN! There is NOTHING I can’t have if I believe by persisting onward. Once you determine what you want in life, plan your attack and attack your plan!
But to answer your question my resilience comes from my parents everything I have accomplished today is from their love, prayers, support and guidance. Read More>>
Kevin Iwamura
My mother. She was a Japanese immigrant who had married my father in the US Air Force in Japan. When she came here in 1957, she was greeted by a lot of racism as was I growing up in the 60’s.
She was sweet yet quietly strong beyond belief. My father was an alcoholic and rolled our car while drunk driving at high speeds when I was five years old. She tried to make things work for my sake because she believed a boy should have a father. But after many years of physical abuses and beatings, she finally had to divorce him when I was 11. Read More>>
Zoraya Villarreal
As an immigrant I have had to adapt and recover from difficult situations. The positive experiences and all the effort made in my country give me the strength and confidence to overcome these new challenges. Read More>>
Jessie V.
Throughout my life I was taught to rely on God that was not easy living in the world that we live in today. With more distractions from self-destruction than anything in the world relying on God is depending on everything that’s good responding to everything with a good answer and attending things with a good attention. Read More>>
Laurien Decibel
My past. Growing up in challenging circumstances and without too many natural gifts/talents.. I hit a lot of walls and had to overcome a lot of hardships to get to where I am today. Nothing was handed to me and sometimes I felt like I was swimming up against the current. Had many many chances to just give up but chose to get back on the saddle time and time again whenever life would throw me a curve ball.. Read More>>
Maya Mapp
In sharing my story about cultivating the characteristic of resiliency, I am aiming to inspire others that no matter what happens or is thrown your way in life there is always a purpose to persist in moving forward towards your destiny. In 2021, I experienced a physical illness that almost ended my life. Through this experience, I decided at that very moment, if I ever got the chance to get back on my feet again then I would spend the rest of my days striving to become at least 1% better every day. Everyone has a purpose and a calling on their life, it’s our responsibility to live it out daily. Read More>>
Jazmyn Alexis
My resilience comes from knowing my purpose. I knew at a very young age I was destined to create meaningful and relatable music that was going to last past my lifetime. I spent my entire child and adulthood training and developing my vocal abilities for this mission. My resilience is directly connected to my calling because in my eyes, I have no other choice but to follow the journey which feeds my soul the most. I knew that suicide was never an option for me, so I figured I had to live out my life exuding everything creative in me until there’s nothing left. Read More>>
Jennifer Pernia
As a Latina singer and actress who immigrated to the U.S. nine years ago to pursue a career in musical theatre, my journey has been filled with challenges and triumphs. When asked about where I draw my resilience from, I reflect on the various sources that have empowered me to overcome these difficulties. Read More>>
VC
My resilience stems from my genuine belief in my vision and the journey I embarked on when I picked up a mic at 18. Despite the ups and downs in my personal life, my passion for music keeps me grounded. I’ve recently moved to LA, a jump that fought against every inner voice that’s been drilled into the back of mind, but this only added to the array of decisions I’ve made to cement my truth, the truth that this (music & art) is for me. Managing the lows and highs with a lens of growth allows me to create inspiration out of both the light and dark, creating a deep seed of appreciation for everything that graces my path. I trust that as long as I chip away at the work every day, it’ll come. Read More>>
Christopher Craig
Sometimes I’m not sure myself where I get my resilience from. I’ve been faced with SO much adversity since I’ve started this journey that it really astounds me when I sit back and look at it all. I suppose the best way I’ve been able to cope with and overall conquer things that were thrown at me or designed to take me down was to approach them calmly and with a level head, one issue at a time and meticulously at that. I understood long ago that when you’re trying to accomplish big things, the game you’re playing is no longer checkers, it’s chess. You have to think three steps ahead and have a back up plan for your back up plan and be ready to implement it at the drop of a hat! The biggest thing however, is to not give up and quit! I can’t lie, in moments alone I get in my head and I just let it all out. Read More>>
Tina Torres
Discovering one’s resilience is an extraordinary journey, often realized when we find ourselves at our lowest point. Five years ago, I faced my own rock bottom—a profound turning point that transformed my life in remarkable ways. Read More>>
Melissa Haile
I derive my resilience from my father who, when I was just six years old, received the devastating news that he had ALS and was given a mere year to live. Despite this grim prognosis, my father lived well beyond that estimate, defying the odds by thirteen years. He cherished each day as if it were his last, all to witness my younger sister and me graduate high school. Through his example, my father instilled in us the incredible power of resilience. Read More>>
Ariana Rose
I think for me, resilience comes from what you’ve been through. I keep thinking about a speech Rocky Balboa gives his grown son. He tells him it’s not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s about how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. You have to be willing to take the hits and know your worth.
I’m not saying I’m perfect at it. I’m not. There are moments, days, even weeks where I think the next goal can’t or won’t be met. But then, life surprises you. Read More>>
Jizelle Kocher
Home is where the heart (and resilience) is. I have my amazing parents to thank for my resiliency. They have been my biggest fans and my rock, since I can remember. They always pushed me to never give up when things get tough and that anything worth having doesn’t come easy. They are the hardest workers and humblest people I know, and they absolutely raised me the same way and I’m blessed for it. I don’t scare easy and at times I’m a force to be reckoned with. My resiliency has gotten me through many difficult times, one of many is nursing school. I’m currently half way through my program, but the amount of time and effort that took me to get where I am was not easy or quick. I retook classes more than once and entrance exams more than I can count on one hand.. But where there’s a will, there’s a way and sometimes the only way is through. Read More>>
Tarcia Gilliam-Parrish
Building Sister Soul Seasoning Company has been an incredible journey filled with triumphs and challenges. Throughout this process, one quality has served as our superpower: resilience.
Resilience has been the driving force behind our success and growth. It’s the ability to bounce back, adapt, and keep pushing forward, even in adversity. Our resilience propelled us to new heights as we navigated the competitive food industry, encountered obstacles, and faced setbacks. Read More>>
LaQuisha Rucker
To me, that is a heavy question. I would like to say that I was born with it, but I wasn’t. Growing up my feelings were hurt easily, I cowered where I should have been tough, and I cried all the time. However, I kept living and life happened. Stuff like carrying around with the weight of being a teenage mother because family told me and my kids would never amount to anything or be anybody or wearing the stench of murder because I still hear the screams of my mom snatching me out of my sleep saying I killed her when it was God claiming what was His. Read More>>
