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.

Lauren Fonvielle

My resilience comes from a desire to be the best version of myself. Being a military spouse I’ve had to learn how to make the best of difficult or challenging situations, not only for myself but for my kids. In order to do that, prioritizing myself care routines became a non negotiable.  Read more>>

Tanvir Arfi

I draw my resilience from a combination of personal traits, experiences and strategic approaches. The first and foremost to me is focus on the Mission. For me, the mission needs to be clear and needs to have purpose. When I genuinely believe in what I am doing, the impact it could create AND enjoy doing it, thats a combination destined to drive success! Read more>>

Raven Johnson

My resilience finds roots in a lifelong exposure to the realities of entrepreneurship, observing my parents navigate the highs and lows of their own business ventures. Witnessing their journey, marked by persistence and the slow but steady climb toward success, instilled in me an understanding that triumphs are rarely instantaneous. Read more>>

Gabrielle Maldonado

My sense of resilience has been primarily fostered through many growing pains over the last decade of my professional and personal life. As a young girl, my mom and grandmother would lead by example, showing me that obstacles are worth tackling in order to create a fulfilling life.  Read more>>

Maria Cebrian

In the world of entrepreneurship, the word “resilience” may seem like a worn-out cliché, but for me, it’s nothing short of the secret sauce to success. Picture this: the rhythmic pounding of my running shoes against the trail as I navigate through the vast expanse of mountains. As a long-distance mountain runner, I’ve learned that the journey to triumph mirrors the undulating terrain of a challenging race. Read more>>

Michelle Conner

My resilience comes from my dependence on God and the relationships I am surrounded by. When I was a single mom at the age of 21, I was facing many challenges and I was lost in many ways. I was seeking comfort, support, and guidance from sources that were most definitely not fulfilling. It was during this time, I committed my life to following God’s plan for it the best that I could. Read more>>

Nikhail Asnani

So this is kind of an up down answer I would say. There’s are days I get my resilience from the training in the arts I received from mentors and in my time in LA. I live with a lot of obstacles, social economic and mental that prevent me from the success I feel like I deserve. These obstacles at many times make me want to go to Belgium and apply for assisted suicide.  Read more>>

Brittany Ciboski

I come from a long line of people who have survived just about everything. On my father’s side, my great-great-grandparents fled Russia (now western Ukraine) to escape political persecution of ethnic Germans, leaving behind their homeland of 130+ years to become farmers in North Dakota.  Read more>>

Bethany Dearborn Hiser

That is such a good and challenging question! I think we develop resilience throughout our lives as we face challenges and are supported in getting back up and integrating those experiences. I learned resilience as my family navigated various moves to different countries when I was little and we connected to communities in those places. Read more>>

Bradley Banks

I learned to be resilient very early in life. My birth mother had me at a young age and struggled with drug abuse. She was what most people would call a “free spirit” which meant there was no structure or consistency in our household. She created an environment that would be considered unsafe for a child. I became resilient with being forced to survive abuse (mental, sexual, and physical), abandonment, and neglect. Read more>>

Hoodoo Jim

I never had a lot of things handed to me growing up. I didn’t come from money and I had to earn every step I’ve taken. I’ve been determined to change my life ever since I can remember and it has put this fire inside me to keep going. It is hard sometimes, but to me, I don’t have another option. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing anyways. Read more>>

Troy Faruk

The true meaning of resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands. It’s an extremely layered and nuanced definition. I think if I had to answer that question even a couple of years ago, I might not have been able to find the words to answer it. Read more>>

Brittney Davila

I think growing up ‘without’ really pushed me to be the best version of myself using mental and emotional strength. Maintaining a positive mindset to learn, grow, adapt, and overcome adversity for me started at a young age. Read more>>

Cindy Fernandez

I was a very active child with interests that went beyond my age. I was very focused on my academics, because this was my ticket to get to do the extracurricular activities I wanted to do. Let me explain, growing up in the Dominican Republic with pretty strict parents, I learned quickly that my job was first and foremost to go to school and get good grades.  Read more>>

Kerry Cooke

Growing up as the daughter of a United States Marine can come with more pressure than growing up in a civilian household. My father held us to a very high standard for our entire lives. Ultimately, I believe this benefited myself and my siblings. As we were able to learn about overcoming obstacles early on. It was this mindset that gave me the strength and confidence to tackle any problem I was faced with. Read more>>

Avital Miller

When it comes to resilience, I have been nicknamed a “One-Woman Campaign Against You’ll Never.” I healed from an autoimmune disorder beyond what my doctors expected. I was told I could not write, yet I published the four-time award-winning and best-selling book Healing Happens: Stories of Healing Against All Odds (www.healinghappensbook.com).  Read more>>

Minghang Du

As I delve into my resilience, I discover a mosaic of inner strength, the wisdom gained from life’s challenges, the invaluable support of loved ones, and the effectiveness of coping strategies. In comprehending and embracing these aspects, I acknowledge the source of my resilience—a profoundly personal journey that continually shapes my capacity to withstand life’s trials. Read more>>

Georgia Culclager

My resilience comes from going through life pretty much on my own. My mother passed when I was four and my father when I was fourteen. My maternal and paternal grandparents were all deceased by the time I reached the age of twenty-one. Read more>>

JL Schwartz

That is an interesting question and it may be somewhat difficult to pinpoint the exact circumstances that have enabled me to withstand disappointment, anxiety, rejection and loss and come out on the other side mostly whole and ready to take on the next challenge.  Read more>>

Lindsey Shelton

To be honest, I didn’t even know I had “resilience” until I started therapy in October 2020. I told my therapist about my past and she kept using that word over and over. I asked her to explain and so she did. She said that most other people would become a statistic with a childhood / past like mine. I chose to overcome and break generational cycles.  Read more>>

Chloe Samaha

From a young age, I was taught a unique definition of success. In my family, triumph wasn’t measured by victories or high scores. Instead, we valued learning and personal growth. For instance, winning a chess match against my younger sisters wasn’t a cause for celebration.  Read more>>

Eric Hughes

I credit my resilience to a blend of experiences, innate qualities, and the formative environment of my upbringing. In my professional journey, tackling demanding projects has instilled in me the significance of adaptability and problem-solving. Read more>>

Josefina Hernandez

God and my family are my main support. Whenever I need strength to continue when I think I am defeated, a good conversation alone with God always gives me the peace I need and my family the strength to get up and continue. Read more>>

Kari Jai Wright

I would say the source of my resilience comes from a variety of people around me. Becoming a Pro Wrestler is still such a surreal feeling you go through all the trials and moments of your life that would seem to be very difficult. It’s the people around me that still continue to have the drive to accomplish what they had their eyes set on. Everyone goes through something but these are the challenges that are suppose to craft you in to who you need to be to accomplish your purpose. Read more>>

Katayoun Bahrami

As an Iranian artist living in the United States, my resilience as an activist is shaped by my connection to the courageous uprising in my homeland and the day-to-day challenges I faced as an immigrant. Navigating a new country requires a unique resilience that extends beyond artistic endeavors. Being an immigrant adds an extra layer of complexity to my journey.  Read more>>

JaVanta Haskins

Resilience; the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Many people acquire resilience after being faced with different challenges & obstacles that life may bring along the way. When I think of toughness & how I am able to recover from the difficulties of being an entrepreneur running my own business, all I can do is lift my head up high & give THANKS TO THE GOD ABOVE. Read more>>

Kimberly Samborski

My resilience comes from all the voices and people that have told me that I couldn’t do it. I’m a former professional dancer turned fitness pro and have had (and still have) my share of auditions. My professional dancing days were many years ago, and back then, you had to fit a certain mold/look or you didn’t get the job. Read more>>

Donna Livingston

I was born to a single mother who abandoned and neglected me. I know she did her best, however, her inability to show up fully left me struggling to find self-worth and direction. My nature as a seeker of truth and self-empowerment led me to find support through therapy and a spiritual journey. My resilience comes from knowing the alternative isn’t very attractive. If I give up I will never realize the life I dream of. Read more>>

Tanner Sutton

I think the last few years have been tough for everyone. From the pandemic to all that followed, it seems everyone has had their struggles. I definitely wasn’t a stranger to that, and believe those hard times helped me hone my resiliency. However, I developed it through the sport of wrestling. I was lucky enough to succeed in my younger days and eventually competed at the Division 1 level. Competing at that level is a grind.  Read more>>

Ezra Ozkan

As a curator of digital arts, I frequently encounter challenges in my work. The exhibition installation nights are the first. When I encounter technical issues, I attempt to remain calm, analyze the problem, and find solutions. Because we live in time, my team and I usually aim to find quick answers in the most challenging situations. Read more>>

Maxx Millanova

Thank you for the opportunity to share about myself and my insights, and about my music. I believe resilience is our nature. Never underestimate the will to survive and the hope for a better quality of life, allegience to purpose, and the connection you have to your heart. The human Spirit is unbreakable and eternal, so if you can tap into it; that’s what you hold onto. Giving yourself grace and forgiving the bad days is also necessary. Read more>>

Michael Vitovich

Resilience for me comes from a dark place, It comes from seeing a dream that no one else sees. I have accepted that there will be failures, stumbling and overcoming along the way. My secret power is stubbornness, which means I am driven differently than most others. Read more>>

Joshua Oredipe

I draw my resilience from a dual source: a forward-thinking mindset and a dedicated pursuit of my long-term vision. Over the five years of building my business “Elite ID Fitness” my resilience has evolved through a commitment to staying goal-oriented. Each adversity encountered has been a stepping stone to progress.  Read more>>

Manny Fresco

Parental love and responsibility; role model aspirations for my son; and sense of purpose. As a parent, I want the best for my son. My unconditional love and sense of responsibility create a strong drive to overcome obstacles and be resilient in the face of adversity. My son’s well-being becomes a primary focus and source of my strength. Read more>>

Billie Jo Konze

My family are pretty resilient people. My parents are both from poor Wisconsin farm families, and grew up taking care of animals, farming the land, and hunting. While my dad has always been in the picture, my parents split when I was two and my mom raised me as a single parent while she went to college and got her teaching degree.  Read more>>

Tyra Patterson

Being a fighter and an overcomer was never a conscious decision that I made. I had no concept of resilience. I had to believe that the next day would be better than the last. It was a matter of survival. Experiencing chronic homelessness and dropping out of elementary school were terrible things for a young girl to experience and they had lasting and devastating implications for what was to come later in my life. Read more>>

Ana-Cristina González

I grew up in a family that told me that I could do whatever I wanted to do in this life. There was no dream too big and nothing too big that could not be overcome with hard work and perseverance. I also grew up in a household that was bilingual/bicultural in a small town in South Texas where I never quite knew where I fit in.  Read more>>

Keldamuzik

I’d say my resilience comes from a deep well of self-belief and determination. I’ve faced many challenges throughout my career, but I’ve always found a way to overcome them. I know that I have the talent and the drive to succeed, and I never give up on my dreams. Read more>>

Alejandra Camacho

I feel like my resilience comes from wanting to become a better human being and a better artist. Not wanting to go anywhere else other than where I set for myself when I chose this path. I got it from seeing the people that I admire being successful after so many setbacks in their life and believing that if they were able to make it, I am too.  Read more>>

Luke Lintott

I now use my wounds as wisdom, and am strong and resilient. My parents divorced when I was six years old, and both remarried multiple times. As a result, I had many step parents and siblings, and learned to change my energy to match my current family’s expectations. This challenge was a strength, as I learned how to connect with people of different belief systems and backgrounds, and eventually found a sense of security in myself that is not easily swayed by outside forces. Read more>>

Brittany & Bayley Ward Callahan

Our father instilled work ethic and never giving up no matter what the circumstances are as our tennis coach growing up. We also watched our mother model strong work ethic as she ran a restaurant business. No matter how many followers we’ve lost or just feeling like we are stagnant in our growth, we cannot give up on our dream of one day wheatnsea becoming a brand or well-known place for women to shop and get fashion inspiration. Read more>>