Meet Crystal Gargiulo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Crystal Gargiulo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Crystal, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

When I was six years old, my mom was killed by a neighbor in the quiet little island town I grew up in. It rocked our community & it shattered my family’s life

I grieved in silence, unsure how to be in this world without my mom. My grandparents who lived nearby, took me in and try to keep my life as normal as possible. As an adult, I feel a deep love & compassion towards them for doing their best to raise me while grieving deeply for their daughter. Their actions during that time & the years to come laid the groundwork for my resilience journey.

As I grew into a teen, I lived in my mind, in isolation, self-reliance, and hyper independence, but it was all part of my journey. This is what I needed at the time. I was in survival mode.

Throughout the years and a lot of therapy, I worked through those walls that I had built and what I uncovered was a huge amount of resilience.

I learned from a very early age that bad things happen. In that awareness comes the sense of freedom and understanding that most things in life are not that big of a deal or worth being stressed out.

I also discovered that resilience is a characteristic that is typically coupled with compassion & empathy. I carry with me a perspective from experiences that many people have never had. Because of this, I have a unique understanding. I give people compassion and grace when I see them stressed out or something that I perceive as “not a big deal”.

For example, if I have a friend complaining about traffic or how stress they are planning their vacation, I do roll my eyes on the inside, because I am human, but then I take a step back and try to view the world through their filter. That’s what makes this world so beautiful, we are all on different journeys, not meant to be judged by our personal standard. Sometimes our experiences make us self-righteous, like we know more than anyone else, but that’s just not true.

I remind myself that everybody’s experiences are uniquely theirs, not to be compared to anyone else. This mindset also helps grow my resilience and ability to connect with others.

And on the flipside when tragedy does strike someone around me, I immediately go into empathetic mode and show up for them in meaningful ways. I try to help them lay the framework for their resilience journey through present and showing them they are not alone.
Because grief is a weird journey, even 39 years after my mom passed. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. I always feel incredibly sad when I hear of someone else embarking on this journey. ⁣
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Now I can look with at my grief with perspective, understanding and grace. And my message to those who are in the midst of their grief journey… There can be beauty and connection and so much love along with the incredible pain. It will break you in a million pieces, but then you get the opportunity to rebuild yourself stronger, more resilient, and with more love. I’m here to tell you it’s a long journey but is possible to feel incredible joy and happiness again.

Resilience deeply resonates within me. So much so that I named my company “The Resilience Lab” This is a coaching space where I help others discover their own resilience, authenticity & happiness. I use my story as a bridge to connect, to support, and to help people build a life they’re genuinely excited to live. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that we all have the power to turn pain into something meaningful. If I can do it, you can too.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

When I created The Resilience Lab, Coaching & Consulting, it was felt a deep pull towards helping others in a more meaningful way. So many people are out here just existing. Going through the motions. Chasing what they think they should want because someone, somewhere—parents, social media, society—told them that’s what success looks like. Especially here in South Florida, where material things often take center stage, it’s easy to lose sight of what actually matters: love, authenticity, purpose & peace.

That’s why this October, we’re launching a six-week crash course in self-discovery. It’s for anyone who’s ready to stop feeling like something is missing and start reconnecting with what truly makes them happy—not what looks good on paper, not what impresses other people—what feels good for you. This is about remembering who you are, what you love, and building a life that actually feels like yours. And for the record, it is possible to be wildly successful without being caught in the rat race. I’m here to show you the way.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, there are three things that changed everything for me—

1. Radical Self-Awareness – I was living in victim mentality for so many years. I had to take a hard look and inward. If you want real change, you have to be brutally honest with yourself first. You have to take full accountability for your emotional and mental state. Energy attracts energy. Start journaling, meditating, yoga. You will find your truth, where you belong, in the stillness. And as a note, no one is good at meditation when they start. The thoughts never stop even for those of us who have been doing this for a long time. We just learned how to not judge our thoughts.

2. Resilience — People think resilience is something you either have or you don’t. That’s BS. You build it. I proved that. Even when life broke me into a million pieces. We have to go through hard things to grow, reach new levels, & become who we are meant to be. Resilience starts with gratitude. If you find yourself ungrateful it will be much harder to persevere through hard things in life.

3.Emotional Intelligence – Learning how to process and respond instead of reacting Most people of us walking around in a constant state of emotional reactivity, and we wonder why we feel out of control. During my healing journey I have learned to breathe. Sounds so simple, right? There’s a reason why we tell our kids to take a deep breath when they are upset. Breathing connects you to the present. There’s more present we are, the less reactive we will become.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge I’m facing right now in growing The Resilience Lab is patience. We live in this fast-paced world that’s constantly pushing the idea that if you’re not making seven figures in six months, you’re somehow behind. Just go on your social media feed… There’s million different ways to make million bucks and none of them are telling the real story of hard work, perseverance & most of all patience, but it’s easy to get caught up in the bling.

I launched this business from my heart—with purpose, intention, and a deep desire to help people become themselves. I have to remind myself every day that meaningful growth takes time. I’m not here for a quick cash grab or a viral moment. I’m here to build something that lasts. Something with impact. Something rooted in transformation.

So how am I handling it? I’m leaning into organic growth. Real conversations. Real relationships. I’m showing up consistently, providing value, staying in integrity, and trusting that the right people will find me. I’m reminding myself that slow growth is still growth—and honestly, it’s often the most sustainable kind.

The Resilience Lab isn’t a trend. It’s a movement. And movements take time to build. I want to impact millions of people and I will one connection at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.the-resilience-lab.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_resilience_lab_?igsh=MWdjdmZxa29rOWg4eA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr