Portraits of Resilience

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.

Emma Ferguson

Growing up was really tough. My parents were addicts, and our house was always filled with strangers behind closed doors. I hardly knew what it felt like to have a real family. My sister ended up being more like a mom to me because our parents were so absent. When my dad went to prison and my parents split, things got even worse. Read more>>

Daniella (Dani) Stanghellini

To be honest, I think it was born out of necessity and trauma. One of the definitions of resilience is, the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. I am a child of divorced parents, single mom – diagnosed with cancer at 32 (I was 8), major car accident when I was 18 left me in a wheel chair on and off for a year while I recovered,  Read more>>

Rosaline Amlett

If I dig deep enough down I’d say the root of my resilience feeds on fear. I am more afraid of being conquered by my fear than I am of failure. I remember at a young age, around three, being terrified by the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney. Once we got off I realized I was okay and I turned to my mother and begged her to take me to get back on it. Read more>>

Veronica Britez-Ward

My resilience comes from trying to always be the best version of myself. Read more>>

Jesus Ríos Cozzetto

I obtain it from listening to music, the rain, take some pictures, playing video games, talking to my friends, looking for inspiration in nature or everywhere. Read more>>

Naomi Loera

Is by taking a positive perspective on any negative situations. Having any challenges and seeing them as learning opportunities. Focusing on the things you can control instead of dwelling on what you cannot change. Read more>>

Michael Smith

Me and my partner regularly jump into the deep in – weather that be making big product & marketing decisions, attending larger trade shows/events or growing our distribution beyond our current comfort zone. And we always manage to keep ourselves afloat. Read more>>

James Barranca

There are a lot of things that comes to mind when i think about my resilience and my drive.
The most powerful and thing that keeps me going everyday Is making my mom and family proud. My goal isn’t just to create but it’s for me to be happy doing what i love and being able to inspire people and give them a feeling of love and influence. Read more>>

Meri Tevosyan

As a nail tech, resilience often comes from a combination of experience, training, and passion for the craft. It’s about learning from challenges, staying updated on techniques and trends, and maintaining a positive attitude toward your work and clients. Building strong relationships with clients and peers can also contribute to resilience by providing support and encouragement in the face of difficulties. Read more>>

Dr. Demira Devoil

When I think of resilience, I think of the act of not giving up no matter how hard life gets. I think of not allowing statistics and environment to determine the outlook of my life. Resilience is something that I nurtured as a kid inadvertently. I grew up in one of the poorest cites in Louisiana.  Read more>>

My resilience comes from a combination of personal experiences, a strong mindset, and a deep desire to transform adversity into something positive. Having faced significant challenges, including a violent relationship ending in domestic violence and a subsequent diagnosis of stage three breast cancer, I found strength in my ability to alchemize pain into purpose.  Read more>>

Marlene Montano

I got my resilience from my mother. Growing up I’ve watched her overcome difficult times while taking care of my brother and I as a single parent. Her ability to overcome challenges and persevere through the toughest times has shaped me into the woman that I am today. Read more>>

Miguel Amaro

I don’t always feel like I have resilience… but drawing is the only thing I feel like I can do. I do get encouraged to keep going from my partner and friends. When I get down for too long, they kick my ass and tell me to keep going, and remind me of what I have accomplished so far. I don’t always think it is alot, but apparently it is. Read more>>

Dagne Gorham

I get my resilience from myself. I’ve realized that I have this within me, that I cannot find it outside of myself. I’ve realized that despite what I think or feel at the time of ‘everything falling apart’ in my life, I’m always able to emerge again. However, it usually involves a complete death and rebirth of myself. Read more>>

Martin Slyngstad

From my perspective, resilience comes from a combination of inner strength and external support. It’s rooted in my ability to adapt to challenges, learn from setbacks, and maintain a positive outlook. My resilience is nurtured by the encouragement and guidance I receive from God, Jesus, the church I go to, family, and those who have known me through different autism events, who provide me with the motivation and perspective I need to persevere through difficult times.  Read more>>

Ayana Rodriguez

Resilience is one of the most challenging skills that can be cultivated and grown. Resilience is a skill that we are teaching less. We are quick to resolve for our children and or in relationships. Disappointment should happen everyday. A feeling an experience that builds coping skills and resiliency. Read more>>

Nathan Andres

My resilience stems from a cocktail of adversities and personal learning experiences that have come from taking back my power and control during life’s hard moments. Importantly, it also comes from a genuine learning and growth from my own authentic lived experiences. Throughout my life, I’ve faced numerous challenges that have shaped my understanding of resilience.  Read more>>

Morgan Pierce

I think my resilience comes from being around maturer women for most of my upbringing. They instilled values in me they felt a young woman should have and spoke positively over my life. When I was met with challenging situations, I believe their encouragement throughout my life played a part in persevering. I was equipped with the mindset and attitude to know and do better. Read more>>

Eurydice Eve

I come from an ancient island where 2,500 years ago another woman writer lived and wrote about it and she is well-known to this day. Her name was Sappho. She, like me, had one child, a daughter, and celebrated love and beauty and nature. She has been called, as I have been, an erosophe. Read more>>

Courtney Walker

I get it from my family. They taught me to be tough, they encouraged me to follow my dreams, and they supported me every step of the way. Read more>>

Margaret Teague

America’s children are experiencing a mental health crisis. The remedy to this crisis is prevention work, & prevention work is exactly the work I do. I support kids ages 5 – 18 through 1:1 coaching and empowerment workshops. 1:1 Coaching supports youth as they navigate complexities such as anxiety, low self-esteem, friendships, organization & more.  Read more>>

Henrietta Young

As an entrepreneur (a venue owner and event planner), I get my resilience from several sources. Learning from Setbacks: Each setback or unexpected issue becomes a learning opportunity, helping me improve my processes and be better prepared for future events. Positive Mindset: Maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on solutions rather than problems helps sustain my resilience during stressful situations. Read more>>

Adam Peters

I derive my resilience from personal experiences and a deeply ingrained mindset. Growing up in a challenging environment, I learned early on the importance of perseverance and adaptability. My time in the military further solidified these traits, where resilience wasn’t just a personal quality but a necessity for survival and success.  Read more>>

Lynn Baird

Completely from my faith in God. Because He is the Master Creator of the universe and all this is, I trust Him to guide me in whatever I face. Read more>>

Larraine Arcangel

My resilience comes from seeing my mom juggle 3 jobs, running on 3-4 hours of sleep just to be sure we were able to eat, have supplies for school and have a roof over our head. I watched her go through trauma and bounce back. I used to think she was so selfish for it but growing up you start understand why she did what she did.  Read more>>

Shraddha Chandwadkar

My resilience comes from observing and facing life experiences & people in my life. I grew up in a middle-class family in India with my parents, younger sister, and grandfather in a small apartment. My father was an alcoholic during my childhood years until I turned 15. We spent a lot of nights in tears, sadness, anger, and frustration.  Read more>>

Lisa D. Barnes

I believe that I was born resilient, my birth and upbringing were not easy and I instinctively knew how to adapt to the trials we faced, such as homelessness, abuse, and even years later being diagnosed with Breast Cancer in my late 20’s. I knew that I did not have a choice, but to win. There has always been something deeper inside of me saying, “You Got This.” Honestly, I know it was God reassuring me that greater is ahead regardless of what I was presently facing. Read more>>

Camerone Elise Parker

RESILIENCE = In silence I RISE ….I am fiercely supported by a dynamic Posse that are each a strong, unique thread in my life. Once woven together….this protective, gorgeous tapestry surrounds me with warm everlasting strength: I am reminded of their love daily. Read more>>

Sean “Shiz” R

My resilience is deeply rooted in my unwavering eagerness to create, build, and drive projects forward. In both business and the arts, I find immense fulfillment in the process of bringing ideas to life and making a tangible impact. This drive fuels my determination to never give up, no matter the challenges I face.  Read more>>

Aunia Kahn

My resilience comes from dealing with multiple rare diseases that for decades doctors could not find. I had to live believing in myself even when no one else did – even family and friends. As I started to seek medical help, they always pointed to anxiety and panic attacks being the root cause. As much as having those challenges was true, it was not the root of my issues – it was a symptom of a much bigger problem that almost killed me. Read more>>

Alma Thomas

I am eager to share my personal journey, despite the numerous obstacles I have encountered, with the hope of inspiring others. In 2009, I experienced the loss of my only son. Subsequently, I authored two solo books titled “Dream Killers” and “From the Waiting Room to the Recovery Room.” Read more>>

Peter Lemonier

I get my resilience from my Grammy (maternal grandmother). She was my absolute best friend, especially when my parents had to work. Grammy raised me and pushed me to be good person, no matter what field I chose to be in. She instilled the value of love and to this day, I’m trying to get there.  Read more>>

Daniel McLean

See, at least initially, I feel as if life had naturally bred me that way. When I was born, I was immediately orphaned by my mother, and my father was assumingly out of the picture–at least based on the stories I was told. I was fully at the mercy of fate and whatever god or the universe had planned for me. I was so lucky to be adopted by my adoptive parents, and even then, they’re just mom and dad to me.  Read more>>

Mackenzie Shivers

My resilience stems primarily from my faith in God, my family who taught me how to navigate life’s challenges, and my own determination. I have been met with a wide variety of challenges from a young age, but it is these experiences that have helped me persevere. Each setback taught me valuable lessons and reinforced my belief that as long as we continue to pick ourselves up and grow there’s always something better waiting for us. Read more>>

Stacey Braden

As a small fitness-related business of 1 employee, resilience is a way of life. There is no getting around it, so you have to decide early on, how much do you love this? How many times are you willing to fail and re-invent yourself? Honestly, if you have a number in mind, maybe this isn’t for you. Read more>>

Pamela Horowitz

To me, resilience comes from within but also develops through life’s challenges, and surprises, its ups and downs. Our role models, families, circumstances in life, both personal and professional, helps shape our sense of resiliency. We model what we see and like. What works and what doesn’t, even when we don’t know the Why’s or behind the scenes story. Read more>>

Roxana Massie

My resilience has been built by going through several phases through my career and the entrepreneurship living! Being a businesswoman after 25 years years experience; I can mention few skills I have to learn to develop my resilience and those are as following: Read more>>

Carolina Calvache

My dad instilled in me values and ways to see life optimistically. He came from a very low-income family where everyday food was scarce. Despite those circumstances, he has always told his life story as proof that life goes on, that there are good and bad moments, and that we have to take the best out of every circumstance and laugh in the rough times. Read more>>

Angelo Wyatt

Although I have a long history in the music industry, I had a set back in 2016 that sidelined my career as a DJ and producer. I was unfortunately diagnosed with multiple forms of autoimmune issues that have prevented me from being able to actively travel and be a club DJ. Therefore, I have turned to starting Boise After Dark and Sin”O”Matic Records as a means of still being able to continue my passion for DJing and producing music.  Read more>>

Keira Henninger

As a child I grew up in an extremely abusive home. I learned quickly to not be seen or heard, At a very young age I learned to turn and depend on the outside and wilderness to escape, and stay out of harms way in my household environment. This also made me incredibly resilient. It taught me to handle any obstacles in life no matter how hard they may seem. Read more>>

Polly Walshin

That is a loaded question ! It’s kind of like what’s your testimony? The answer is we are constantly throughout life learning and growing . My resilience got stronger as I focused on how my hardship and my faith of knowing that this will lead to something better increased ! A smart woman once told me you can either be pitiful or powerful.  Read more>>

Kawthar Alade-Idris

I can say that my resilience comes from my “Die-hard” spirit. I don’t believe anything is impossible. I always believe there has to be a way to achieve the set goal. So my eyes on the price always push me to give it one more trial even when all hopes seems lost. Read more>>

Elizabeth “Lizzy” Murphree

Resilience is such a fascinating concept. The idea that one can undergo, overcome and emerge from great challenges and hardships has never been lost on me. Growing up in Scottsdale, Arizona, I was fortunate to travel extensively with my family, experiencing various cultures and ways of life. Read more>>

Carmen Aceves-Iniguez

I was an anxious, energetically sensitive, and hypervigilant child. The anxiety was deeply connected to knowing that my parents were undocumented. I grew up in the 80s during the Reagan presidential administration. I was ages 4 – 12 through his 8-year tenure, during a time of heightened anti-immigrant sentiment. I lived with the fear that my parents could be deported at any moment. Read more>>

Carolyn Fe

To be honest, I really don’t like the word “resilient” or “resilience”. I prefer “resist” or “resistance”. Resilience conjures up an image of a bamboo tree in the middle of a tropical storm. It takes a beating from the rough winds and the rain; violently swaying, bending to the point of almost breaking, losing its leaves and yet it stands in the same place.  Read more>>

Ashanti Miranda

Where does your resilience come from? My resilience is deeply rooted in my unique life experiences. Growing up as an only child with a single Black mother on the West Coast, I often found myself in predominantly white spaces. This environment taught me early on the importance of standing strong in my identity and advocating for myself. Read more>>

Hanna Tzong-Han Wu

Growing up in Taiwan in Asia studying in arts, being fed with the ideas of ‘perfection’ and ‘suffer first and get rewarded later’, I suffered a lot. I was convinced that I was like a machine with very little freedom to speak and make choices. All I did was training. Read more>>

Taylor Brune

Resilience I believe is developed through challenging circumstances where you are faced with the choice between giving up and not facing the challenge or hurdle, or deciding to persevere through the challenge, despite the pain, suffering and feeling of discomfort. I learned from a young age that in order to overcome life’s challenges, one must be rooted in strength, perseverance, courage, and faith.  Read more>>

Stacy Baker

I love this question because I think resilience is one of the most important parts of ourselves we can cultivate not just for career success or accomplishments, but for how we show for ourselves every day in creating a juicy, happy life. Read more>>

Adrian Narro

Thanks a ton for having me, I truly appreciate it. I do music, post production, recording, and run a small business in LA. Since this platform focuses around overcoming obstacles, I’m willing to give perspective on some of my own struggles, without getting in too deep. Bad experiences, on the brighter end, have given me some clarity to impart. Read more>>

Alex Kae

Oh wow- where do I even start, haha! I’ll try to make this short. First & foremost, I would not be where I am today without my faith, without fully surrender to God and say yes to Jesus in your heart. I’d like to quote: “Resilience is the ability to move through and grow from difficult times. It’s a skill you develop over time from the lessons and experiences you absorb as you grow up and face challenges.” Read more>>

Kathleen Kearns

I used to think of resilience as powering through some adverse circumstance. The old version of a hero with super strength. My new version has evolved. It is a softer version. My resilience often stems from internal strength and support from my community and beyond. As a two-time cancer patient, I draw from a deep well of personal fortitude cultivated through a combination of past experiences, personal values, and an innate will to survive and thrive. Read more>>

Youmone Berrien

Resilience was born with Faith (like fraternal twins) when I understood and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the idea of forgiveness. My earliest memory of “her”existence was when my six-year old self determined to give “Show and Tell” another chance. I loved the days my first grade private school teacher Miss Lilly would allow us to bring in one item to share with the class. Read more>>

Annette Walter

I think my resilience comes from a lot of hurdles I faced while growing up without a mother and being raised by my uncle. He took custody of myself and my siblings after my mom and grandmother passed. He had no idea how to raise kids but did the best he could.  Read more>>

Christopher Robin Miller

I’m not sure if it’s resilience or belligerence. I’ve always been committed to whatever I decide I’m going to do. Fortunately, I was drawn to do things that a lot of people like. I feel like my interest in the arts saved me. My interest in performing arts took a lot of my time as a young, distracted youth and gave me structure. Being in a show with a cast of 50 will do that. Read more>>

Sal Soriano

I do not believe that a person can obtain resilience from any single entity. I have personally learned this vital skill from many experiences in my life. Personal, professional and anything in between. From bare necessities to hand-me-down cloths, I have never been privileged enough to experience or learn any life lessons directly and intentionally. Read more>>

Stephanie Brady

My resilience was taught by watching my Grandmothers and my Mom. I was so fortunate to live near my maternal and paternal grandparents. I could walk to their homes because they lived within a few streets from one another. Listening to their hardship stories they endured, and watch them thrive, I knew could do anything! Read more>>

Maud Maciak

Resilience is the difference between dreams and success stories. I started from nothing, came from a low-income family, immigrated to the U.S. with 1000$, and spent most of my life battling the odds. My resilience came from the need for self-survival since I was a child. Read more>>

Yash Hatkar

I was afraid to fall. One day, I reached an even worse point. I was apathetic to it. After first questioning my sexuality in 2012, to coming out in 2020 as gay, but over time, beginning to identify more as pansexual, my constant doubt about identity combined with other childhood trauma to create my scariest and most annoying gremlin – OCD. Read more>>

Romario “Chef Mariio” Henry

My resilience comes from my upbringing. Growing up in a structured two-parent household, I experienced a significant shift when my parents got a divorce. This transition from stability to a broken household was challenging, but I had to adapt to my new norm.  Read more>>

Kelly Hartog

I believe I get it from my mother and my father. She has always had an innate sense of strength in adversity. My dad died when I was a teenager and he was only 46. My older sister had already moved away but my brother was only 11. My mum was forced to return to work after decades of raising three kids, and somehow keep a roof over our heads without my dad.  Read more>>

Lena Reitz

I truly learned about resillience when I dove into the deep end and opened my first Brick and mortar which was a hair salon. Transitioning from management into ownership there is no manual to prepare you for the hurdles that you will have to overcome. Read more>>

Katharine McEwan

Being born and raised in the north east of England imbued me with a certain resilience for sure. Back home northern women are known to take no prisoners. Maybe it’s all the nights out in sub zero temperatures without coats! I had to be tough to survive up there and I learned to defend myself pretty early on. It’s kind of a sink or swim situation. Read more>>

Victoria MacCulloch

In this industry you really will experience a lot of ‘nos.’ So amidst a few existential spirals, for me it has been about normalising that and creating a fulfilling life outside of my career. The hardest part was learning to let go of a lot of it because the magic happens when you’re not trying to control or needing the next job. Read more>>

Viktoria Marchev

I realized that many people think of it as a choice, but actually the choice is an illusion. Once I accepted that this is something I need to do no matter what, giving up was not an option anymore. It took me a while, I did try to put it on the side a few times, but I had sleepless nights and I was incredibly unhappy. Read more>>

Giorgio Serafini

Since a very young age I knew I wanted to become a story-teller. At first I wanted to become a novelist, but the love for film-making kicked in. I do believe the turning point was when my father took me to the movie theater to watch a re-release of David Lean’s “The Bridge On The Rivier Kwai”. From that moment on I knew that was the art form I wanted to use to express myself. Read more>>

John Davenport

I wouldn’t still be doing what I do if I wasn’t a resilient guy. It all has to come from the experiences that make and shape you along the way. At a very young age I heard the stories and knew how my grandparents survived the German invasion of Poland and the occupation of my grandfathers village and farm at that time.  Read more>>

Spirit BUTTERFLY

I am resilient because I have a strong sense of purpose and self worth… I get my resilience from an intelligent, infinite, internal source. This All Powerful, All Creative, All Knowing and All Loving Omnipotent energy manifests ITSELF as me, in this physical form. Read more>>

Vaibhav Singh

My resilience is deeply rooted in a tapestry of personal trials, visionary dreams, and a robust support system. Early in life, I encountered hurdles that demanded more than just perseverance—they required innovation and a relentless spirit. These formative experiences carved a foundation of grit and resourcefulness within me. Read more>>

Lauren Sanders

I’ve gained my resilience from surviving many life challenges despite the odds stacked against me. I’ve always been a fighter and don’t give up very easily. Never have. I’m the type of person that’ll continue to search for solutions even when I’ve been told there aren’t any. I’ve never been easily influenced by others and maintain a mindset that is always searching for answers. Read more>>

David Aferiat

1. a curated routine of wellness with healthy doses of self-care
2. a cherished community of friends (with whom we’ve raised our children and in organizations I’ve been privileged to lead (e.g., FACC, EO Atlanta) Read more>>

Amber Clour

Living with Type 1 diabetes for over 40 years has taught me to navigate life’s challenges with resilience. This condition demands constant vigilance, requiring me to adapt swiftly to fluctuating circumstances like low or high blood sugar, illness, and stress. Each day presents new obstacles to overcome, yet I’ve learned to remain agile and composed, leveraging effective problem-solving skills to ease the journey. Read more>>

Michelle Meyer aka Meesh

Resilience comes from believing in yourself. If you get thrown it’s okay to take the time to have a seat and process, but knowing that is a flow state to move through ((not get stuck in)) and then be able to stand back up again. When going through periods where it seems hard to remember the spark, being able to self reflect, peel back the layers and remember the mission and why. Read more>>

Yolanda Wright

My resilience comes from three sources: God, Failure, and Exercise. The primary source of my resilience is my faith in God. In all honesty, my faith in God is the very reason I am in business in the first place. This business is an expression of what He has done in my life and my passion for helping others experience the same thing. Read more>>

Theo Greenbaum

Resilience has been on my mind a lot lately. It’s literally impossible to be an artist without a robust sense of resilience. I guess objectively, every single path in life requires some level of resilience. But there’s something personal about resilience in the art field.  Read more>>

Kevin Hall

I got my resilience from my Grandmother. As a child I watched my grandmother undergo major Brain surgery and open Heart surgery. The odds were stacked against her each time but she fought through it. She passed away back in 2006 but I always think about how tough she was and how resilient she was during her life and that motivates me to never give up. Read more>>

April Frazier Camara

Growing up in the Deep South, I learned resilience early as a child from my parents and grandparents. My resilience is more than just a trait; it is a testament to my ancestors’ strength, woven into my very being. This resilience has been cultivated from generations and generations who faced adversity head-on and thrived despite it. Read more>>

Jade Paris

My life has been riddled with adversity. From surviving 4 brain surgeries in the peak of my collegiate volleyball career to going through a really tough divorce just as my business began taking off. I think my resilience comes from watching my mother and grandmother push past some really difficult situations where their only choice was to prevail. Read more>>

Karinn Gartmann

I lived a beautiful childhood in a Christian home with 2 loving parents. At 18, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Our small corner of the world turned upside down. I had to took a leave from nursing school and questioned everything, including my career path. Read more>>

Jeffory Elliott, CEC, CNLPC, CRC

Aside from learning from my parent’s experience, I underwent learnings from several important life lessons and seasons of struggle at an early age. My resilience (and the the reason I made the concept a focus of one my coaching certifications) comes from learning the hard way and having to strengthen an exterior strong enough for an apocalyptic event.  Read more>>

Kiana “kiki” Rodriguez

My resilience comes from seeing “failures” or “set backs” more like Falling and knowing that “GETTING BACK UP AGAIN” is the ONLY choice. Personally, that means learning, growing, and getting out of my comfort zone in some way each and every day or else how do we continue in becoming our best selves in order to show up for our desired future self and the world!? Read more>>

Raphael Williams

Resilience means having the durability and the ability to come back or spring back from something that might have broken you. I get resilience –and many other superpowers– from my mother and the life lessons that she shared and showed me and my siblings. Being raised by a single parent, I had to figure things out quickly and carefully. Read more>>

Heather Elizabeth Neary

resilience by my blood Ancestors, especially my Feminine Ancestors, who endured incredible hardships by way of being women navigating a toxic Patriarchal culture in which laws and cultural norms dehumanized them in a multitude of ways. Read more>>

Christopher Sterling

First, thanks for asking. Resilience is a word, my wife often reminds me of and often uses to describe me. Resilience definitely isn’t something anyone is born with. It’s often birthed through and shaped by the situations you endure. Endurance is not an easy road. Read more>>

Amy Cooper

Life comes with many so many challenges & uncertainties , for me, personally once I realized that I had control over the outcome of how I responded to them I felt a sense of calm. Consistently trying to find the positive in a negative and rising above it builds you up in an immeasurable way. Read more>>

Tracy Gold

I’ve had a lot of practice. At almost every stage of my journey, I have faced challenges that I needed to overcome. Now I realize that without challenges, I get bored. So I tend to embrace them better than I used to be and see them as part of the fun. Read more>>

Karisma Pleasant

To be honest, I believe my resilience is embedded from the dna passed down from one or several of my ancestors. I elude to this because we are energetic beings and the spirits of those before us follow us through our dna. Many of them endured so much abuse, trauma, psychological damage, oppression, and more; yet I am here because they made it through, they were resilient. Read more>>

Charlie T. Savage

First and foremost, my children bring me joy and inspire me every day to push forward and create a brighter future for them. My experiences as a Navy veteran have instilled in me a strong sense of discipline and perseverance. Read more>>

Sioban Massiah

Sometimes I see the word resilience and I shy away from it. I know it is a compliment but it also feels like an invitation to take on more than you should. I am the first daughter of Antiguan immigrants who came here and all earned master degrees, bought houses, all while being active and present for their family. Read more>>

Jessy Raspiller

When it comes to my business, I’ve never let fear stand in my way. A year ago I closed down my outdoor yoga studio after 9 years of being in services to the greater community of Ventura. It was one of the most difficult, yet biggest trust leaps I’ve ever taken. Everything leading up to this decision felt like it had been paved for me. Read more>>

Richelle Bonilla

Your resilience is shaped by the strong examples set by your mother and grandmother. Witnessing their hard work, perseverance through challenges, and unwavering dedication to family has instilled in you a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility, and the belief that you can overcome any obstacle. Read more>>

Cyntia Rizo

I got my resilience from my faith in God, my parents led an example as immigrants they came to this country with no help and a lot of burdens on their shoulder, yet they built a strong foundation for me. Read more>>

Marion Claire Brooks

I have developed slowly everday an intellectual download from the hemp plant. As my use has become consistent, so have other habits in my life which translates into mental strength. Read more>>

Pete Mancini

From my mom. She is the strongest person I know. She achieved so much when our family was going through hard times and that will always be an inspiration to me. Read more>>

Yali Cristina

Mom asking me to move out of the house when I was 15 helped me draw resilience from various factors. This experience instilled fierce independence and a strong work ethic. Navigating couch surfing at family friends’ houses and finding a way to survive demanded a lot of resourcefulness and determination. Read more>>

Grace Newton

I don’t think one gets resilience from just a single challenging incident. Resilience builds, and it became part of my character through overcoming repeated and recurring hardship and suffering. Read more>>

Joquetta Griffin Batista

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from tough times and keep moving forward despite challenges. For me, resilience comes from a mix of experiences, especially from my childhood in the Brownsville community and the lessons I learned from my parents, particularly my late mother. Read more>>

Viet Le

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been faced with some kind of challenge. After a while, I guess, I became a little jaded and realized that whether you are good, bad, rich, or poor, life’s problems will always be there. It’s a matter of mindset that will keep you moving forward in life or stuck in your own predicaments. Read more>>

Christa Curtiss

Starting a company as two moms with full lives has not been easy, and I think if we were selling bath soap or candles, we would have given up a long time ago. Passion for what we are doing has created resiliency to overcome the obstacles we have faced.  Read more>>

MaKinlie McRae

I miss when April 3rd used to just be a normal spring day—wildflowers blooming along the highway, cool breezes whipping around my red curls. For the first fifteen years of my life, I lived blissfully unaware that this date would soon monument the worst day of my life. Searching for wildflowers along south Highway 181 quickly, and without warning turned into searching for any signs of my missing father. Read more>>

Vilmaliz Bosque

Resilience for me has come from watching my mom push through, even when all odds seemed to be against her, thus teaching me to do the same. I grew up quite humbly and saw my mom work non-stop 2-3 jobs and move to a different country without speaking the language in order to offer me and my brothers a better future.  Read more>>

Kristin Kurtz

My resilience comes from a deep and personal journey of transformation and faith. Growing up, I experienced a lot of trauma and instability, starting from in utero. However, it was through these challenges that I found my strength and my purpose. Read more>>

Woonyea Han

My resilience lies in continuing to work despite challenges. To achieve this, the most important elements for me are writing and traveling. More specifically, I value ‘hands-on’ activities. Whether it’s drawing, writing scripts or short story journals, or creating something, engaging in all creative processes with my hands is crucial. Read more>>

Spike Polite

I get my resilience from my father who repeatedly told me never to give up on what you are striving for. He was in the U.S. Army stationed at the army’s depot in upstate New York and was pushing for an advancement in his career and having setbacks from beaurocratic red tape and others vying for the same position.  Read more>>

Jannay McIver

I get my resilience from God. Every time I have come against obstacles there have been small reminders that he is always in control. This year I had two weeks to find a new salon space. It is difficult to open salons in the environment because salon suites are popular. Read more>>

Asha Kabirou

When I think about resilience, I think about my mom. I think about my mother’s mom, and all those who came before. Allah (God in Arabic) blessed me with the gift of pushing through even when it’s difficult. This has been true for the lineage of many women in my family as well. Read more>>

Aliyah Daley

I get my resilience from my family. I was brought up with many strong women that even when they struggled, I never saw them sweat. My great great grandmother, Margie McLean born in 1932, was a farmer, homemaker, and entrepreneur. Her and her children worked the land growing cotton, tobacco, watermelon and corn. Read more>>

La Manda Davis

I received my resilience from my own personal lessons in life with the loving help of my faith in God to have courage to face my fears. Having a strong sense of who I am and not to forget where I came from fuels my resilience. Read more>>

Ginette Rhodes

Life can be very challenging at times and no one is immune to that. What I’ve learned is despite the highs and lows that life may bring, all we can do is do our best. As long as we keep going and look forward for the future things will improve but if we give up… it ends there. Read more>>

Danicìa “KO KO” Tate

My resilience comes from God. There’s an idiom: “Favor ain’t fair but it works.” The strength that I’ve illustrated and the experiences I’ve persevered through in life. All of it solely comes from my Faith in Jesus Christ. No Matter what may come my way, I know my life is in God’s hands. Read more>>

cindy finch

Resilience is something I’ve honed through personal experiences, professional dedication, and a deep belief in the transformative power of optimism and radical acceptance. This is my one and only life, and facing my own mortality has given me a profound sense of purpose.  Read more>>

Amber Syer

The core of my resilience came from many people in my family but mostly my mother. She’s a “no bs” kind of lady. Although, she showed so much compassion toward my siblings and I, she also taught us confidence and commitment. Life has not always been kind. We have endured a lot of hardships together and individually.  Read more>>

Halim Urban

Not just in business, but to live the fullest life, you need the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties. You have to be tough yet flexible enough to spring back when needed. Previously, I would have said I was resilient out of survival. I’ve always faced life’s challenges head-on, whether as a husband and father raising four sons or successfully operating a food tour company through a global pandemic. Read more>>

Shakeera Springs

My resilience kicked in as a young girl when I lost both my parents. After this happened, I had to constantly pivot until my goals were accomplished. I never gave up during these hard times. I met resilience through adversity. Read more>>

Mitzy Wylie

Our Resilience was built from a combination of experiences, support systems, and personal habits. But mainly from keeping a positive mindset, learning from challenges, and drawing strength from relationships our personal values and our spiritual faith. Read more>>

Aryan Sachdeva

Whenever the question of withstanding adversity came up, I always said to myself, “Aryan Sachdeva, just think how good this is going to look in the biography.” For me, resilience is not merely about bouncing back from difficult life events; it’s more about developing a mindset so beautiful that whether the event goes the right or wrong way doesn’t even hold importance anymore. Read more>>

Ericka Reddix

To me I get my resilience from time. Time because with that it helped me gain wisdom and courage. When you’ve experienced a lot of things in your life, the older you get you take things as lessons. Read more>>

Liz Arias

I think I get my resilience from my character and my personality. I have fought for everything I have accomplished thus far in life. My character traits are drive, passion, determination, and the ability to never take no for an answer. Read more>>

Zakirah Archable

Where do I begin… Life throws you so many obstacles and you have to roll with the punches and make adjustments at any moment. My resilience kicked in when I left my home town 3 years ago. I moved to Atlanta where I had no family and everything was unfamiliar. I gave up my career and comfortability to start my entrepreneurial path. Read more>>

Davida Rappaport

I acquired my resilience out of necessity. Starting at the age of 8, I dealt with bullying, and as a tween on into adulthood, I also dealt with sexual harassment. There is no need for me to go into detail on how/why I was targeted.  Read more>>

Ann Schreiber

Where do I get my resilience? This is an interesting question, as I have often written about resilience, more specifically, perseverance, in recent years. And these two traits are so related. Of course, resilience is all about how we adapt to challenging situations—a job loss, the loss of a parent, divorce, etc. And then perseverance is all about keeping at it despite those setbacks. Read more>>

Samuel Fronsman

When people think about the film industry, some of the first movies that come to mind are the high-budget Hollywood blockbusters that spend millions of dollars on production. It’s no secret that making movies is one of the most expensive artforms to practice.  Read more>>

Andrea Thompson

As a Christian Black woman born, raised, and living in Detroit, MI in 2024, my strong work ethic and sense of purpose are deeply rooted in the values and experiences passed down through my family for generations. Growing up in a family of hard-working business owners, educators, auto plant workers, and community leaders, I was instilled with a profound appreciation for the power of self-determination and the dignity of labor. Read more>>

Claire Torretto

I think coming from N.Ireland we are built with natural resilience in us but most of it is from my mom and my Granny. They have always been a massive influence in how I approach life and it’s daily struggles. Read more>>