Portraits of Resilience

Without waxing too philosophically, I’d say that qualities like resilience, confidence, self-esteem, and optimism all have to come from within and, I suspect, are often prompted by experiencing their opposites. My childhood and teenage years had a number of rough patches where I often felt incapable of overcoming obstacles. I would see others succeed where I couldn’t. The one constant was my belief that, if I were faced with a real test, I could overcome that negative voice and rise above it. Read more>>

I built my resilience by recovering from the devastation of a broken heart. I was 27 and was utterly head over heels in-love with a tragically charming boy from Manchester, Georgia.
He was a singer song-writer and loved, loved, loved his momma.
(A man who loves his momma is a sign that he would make a good boyfriend- or so I thought.) By the recommendation of his new music producer, Travis broke up with me so he could focus more on his music career and look ‘available’ to his fans. Read more>>

My resilience comes from a mix of personal experiences and a supportive environment. I’ve faced challenges that pushed me to adapt and grow, and each experience taught me the importance of perseverance. Additionally, the encouragement I’ve received from family and friends has helped me bounce back and stay focused, reminding me that setbacks are often just stepping stones to success. Read more>>

I developed resilience from many difficult life experiences I’ve been through. Each difficulty I entailed was like a new armor was activated until it almost became like a second skin. Read more>>

I have come to learn that resilience is less about inherent toughness, but more of a skill that can be developed and strengthened through experience and practice. Inherently, I am afraid of everything. Spiders send my heart racing. Spending a quiet night at home in a predictable environment is my default mode. But the drive to do things bigger than myself in order to support others has pushed me to say yes to opportunities that have challenged me in every possible way. Every moment of discomfort and every unfamiliar situation I encounter gives me the opportunity to exercise my resiliency muscle and hone this skill. Read more>>

Raised by a single mom in the inner city of Birmingham England I learned from a very young age that no matter what is happening in your life you have to push forward and keep a positive attitude. I became a Track athlete at age 14 joining a local club paid for by people in the community who felt I had what it takes to be successful. I started with long-distance track spikes given to me by a mom in the street (they were boys’ shoes and not great for sprinting but I made it work and felt grateful. Read more>>

To know and be known. This is the heart cry of every human; though it is incredibly difficult to find one we can truly connect with in safety and vulnerability. I was one of the fortunate to find this kind of friendship. We spent hours on end with each other – never tiring of the others’ company. We were building dreams and goals and life together. Little did I know it would end abruptly. The thief named Death came in the night and stole her life away. I know death is not final and she is enjoying Heaven now. I, however, was left with the taste of death in my soul. And this – this is where I found myself left with little option. I could end it all, or I could find a way through.  Read more>>

I would have to say that I get my resilience from my parents. As a child growing up in my household I was taught that not everyone will like me and not everyone will accept me and that is ok. That I needed to be me regardless of what others thought or felt about me. I was taught that no matter what circumstances I was in that I needed to remain strong and push through any and all difficulties because despite all of the hardships in the world….I needed to learn to love myself as they love me. Throughout my years, now even as an adult I can say that I have had an overwhelming ability of being able to overcome any and all hardships including divorce. Read more>>

Resilience in my line of work means that I’ve developed a capacity to learn from past mistakes and integrate those lessons into my approach. This enables me to maintain hope and optimism, even in the face of challenges. I’m able to adapt, persevere, and ultimately achieve my goals, rather than being derailed by obstacles. I take a thoughtful and proactive approach to problem solving, rather than taking quick fixes. Through this resilience, I’m able to deliver high quality work and continuously grow as a professional. Read more>>

I get my resilience from my passion for music and the emotions it evokes. Music allows me to express myself and overcome challenges. It give me the strength to keep going,even when things are tough. Weather through the rhythms or lyrics, music is my source of inspiration and motivation. Read more>>

Wheelchair-bound and unable to feed himself or take himself to the bathroom, the father my family once knew was replaced with some guy named Als who took up occupancy in the back room of our house. His voice was hijacked by some autoresponder named ‘Perfect Paul,’ & his black slacks & neatly-ironed ties were swapped out for solid-colored sweat suits. As the youngest of eight kids, I was about to head off to kindergarten when my dad got his terminal diagnosis. I still remember his green sweats & the smell of Ensure, which was his feeding tube’s drink of choice. His cocktail was easy to make – never shaken, stirred, or on the rocks, although, it did have to be poured slowly so he wouldn’t choke. Read more>>

Growing up in Croatia as the only child of a woman who endured so much hardship in her young life, I watched my mother overcome incredible challenges. She pulled us up from dark depths that, in my child’s mind, seemed like the end of the world—divorce, war, being a refugee, starting over countless times. Yet she never lost the will to keep moving forward, sheltering and loving me every step of the way. I inherited my resilience from my incredible mother. Read more>>

If I had to trace my resilience, it’d be tempting to say it came from years of playing tabletop roleplaying games—rolling for initiative in the chaos of life—but the real turning point was becoming a mother. The day of my 20-week anatomy ultrasound was a bombshell. My life changed in that room, swallowed by a silence so loud it echoed in my bones. The tech quietly excused herself to get the doctor, and in that moment, I knew everything was about to shift. Read more>>

As far as being resilient, I’ve overcome being bullied as a child to being in a long term relationship where I dealt with domestic violence and an alcoholic partner. Having support from loved ones and peers is so helpful, but also learn to be serious about your mental health journey whether that is finding a creative outlet or going to therapy or whatever it may be for you – it can look different for everyone. Heal, learn, keep a good mindset, dust yourself off and then fight like hell to be your own advocate in moving forward in a positive/upward direction in your own life. Read more>>

My resiliency comes from the lessons that were woven into me by the strong black women in my life. My mom, grandma, great-grandma and aunties are my strength. They taught me how to move through the world with grace, even in the face of adversity, and to do so with unwavering faith in the blessings that are sure to come. Their righteous indignation, their attitude, the idea of never settling for less than what is deserved—has empowered me to not only persevere but to rise with purpose and intention, knowing that each challenge is just a stepping stone to something greater. Read more>>

I get my resilience through my faith in God. My resilience is the ability to never give up despite the challenges I’m facing because my strength comes from God. So many times, I was faced with opposition and I continued in the midst of it. Those challenges and opposition is what gave me confidence that I am heading in the right direction even when it looked like a dark
moment. Sometimes I may look at challenges as if “I’m not doing something right” but in reality I am. My mind can play a huge role with negative thoughts but that is where my faith in God and strength comes in this is how I build resilience by relying deeply on my faith and not giving up when it looks hard. I have to lean on my faith that all things are working together. Continuing the journey despite the challenges, disappointments and heartache is resilience. Read more>>

My resilience comes from my grandmother, who has been the foundation of my life. When my parents had me, they were young, and my grandmother stepped in and took on the role of raising me. She has always been a trailblazer, someone who didn’t shy away from challenging the status quo or pushing boundaries. Growing up, I watched her work tirelessly daily, balancing numerous responsibilities and making personal sacrifices to ensure our family had what we needed. She taught me so much about strength, dedication, and perseverance through her words and, more importantly, her actions. Read more>>

My resilience comes from a mix of my personal experiences and self-reflection. I’ve navigated challenges and past traumas, using those moments as opportunities for growth. I channel my emotions and experiences into my art, which helps me process everything I’ve been through. I believe in being proactive about my well-being, so I seek support when needed, like going back to therapy, hitting the gym and being creative. Read more>>

Is there anywhere to go but forward? Is there any goal to have other than “Become better at this thing.”?
I think many people confuse the difficulty of industry and of making a name for yourself with “impossibility” when in reality, the impact of the uphill battle prepares you for the difficulty of the opportunities you’ll face. Read more>>

My resilience stems from my grandmother, Lisa Coleman, who has been a constant example of strength and determination throughout my life. She has faced countless challenges, both personal and professional, yet she never allowed those obstacles to define her. Instead, she tackled each hurdle with grace, persistence, and an unwavering belief in herself. No matter what life threw her way, she kept pushing forward, never losing sight of her goals. Read more>>

Having been through everything life has to throw at me and coming out still moving forward. It hasn’t been easy. There have been times when I wanted to give up. I never did and here I am. Read more>>

I get my resilience from my past and things I’ve learned and worked for to get me where I am today and god my faith in god helps me not give up in anything I apply myself to. Read more>>

In my family, we say we resemble a lotus flower, a symbol of overcoming adversity and resilience. I first had to understand this resemblance when I was only nine years old, during a conversation with my dad about the word “stroke” and how it was affecting my mother. Just two years later, I was confronted with the term “metastatic cancer” and the reality of saying goodbye to my grandmother in a few short months. Life has not allowed me to be as fragile as a flower, although my family named me Dalia, which means “flower” in Mexico. The challenges I faced at such a young age forced me to mature abruptly. Given the difficulties my family was experiencing, I knew I had to remain strong, just like them, and focus on doing my part—at that time, that meant concentrating on school. Read more>>

I am an Aussie artist who moved to New York to be a performer in January 2019. I left my friends, family and career at the age of 29 in hopes of fulfilling a life long dream. I spent three years gaining the hardest visa you can attain, the O1- labelled as, Alien with Extraordinary Ability. I am now on my third O1 visa and every time it is a feat, it doesn’t matter how long I have lived or worked in the States. Knowing how hard this visa is, it gives you this hunger and drive that makes you push harder than maybe you normally would in any other situation. When I am auditioning against many other Americans for a Broadway show, I know I have sacrificed a lot to get here, to be in that audition room at that moment. Read more>>

My resilience comes from the vast range of knowledge and experiences I’ve learned as well as the ability to adapt and refine my responses based on feedback. If something doesn’t land right, I treat it as a learning opportunity to get closer to what I need next time. Plus, I have infinite patience / mistakes and challenges just mean I have a new way to improve. Read more>>

I think resilience comes from facing hardships in your life but still having hope. Hope comes from the trust that things will get better and that people and the world are still good despite the bad things that can happen to you and around you. I lost my mom at nine years old to an automobile accident. I have missed her for more than thirty years now and can tell you I will miss her until the day I die. As a mother now myself, there is no greater love in my life than the love I have more my children and they have for me. Your mom is the person you want to call with the good news and the bad news. Even at almost 40 I miss her in so many aspects of my life. Read more>>

I draw my resilience from a number of sources, rooted in both my personal experiences and my ongoing commitment to self-healing and growth. One significant source of strength has been my experience as a woman navigating societal pressures, where we are often told how to think, what to feel, and the roles we should play. Yoga introduced me to the idea of slowing down and being a witness—not just to my breath, but to my thoughts and actions. This practice helped me begin questioning what is true and necessary for me, rather than simply following the programming I’ve absorbed over the years. Resilience, I’ve learned, means owning my voice and stepping out of the roles I had unconsciously imposed on myself. Read more>>

I have had this theory for about a year now, but I am Jewish. I was born in Israel. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. I moved out of Israel when I was 6 years old, moved to Nigeria and lived there for 8 years before moving to the United States. I had always felt that Israelis were rough around the edges, myself included. Tough, stubborn, relentless when it came to what they want. After October 7th, 2023 with the tragedies that happened in Israel I came up with a theory that maybe we are like that because our ancestors and our grandparents had to have a survival mindframe. After being persecuted all their lives, they had to be rough around the edges. As a survival mechanism. I think that has a part in where I get my resilience from. Read more>>

A good friend of mine told me I like you because you think outside the box. I never realized that I did that until he said that. It inspired me to do that many times when obstacles presented themselves.
Also to listen to my intuition even if my brain was saying no. Read more>>

I developed resilience by overcoming the odds that others placed on me. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD, I was often told not to chase my dreams of becoming a famous musician. A neurologist even told my parents when I was two that I would never graduate high school, attend college, or live independently. But it was through that negativity that I found my strength to push forward. Today, I hold a master’s degree in accounting and live independently in Koreatown. Read more>>

Resilence has led me to my purpose and my confidence . Remaining resilient has always been the core of my journey from the time of working a 9-5 job til not having one and fully believing in myself ,having faith and patience , going towards my dreams , grinding while exploring my creative mind and making sure i kept the real ones around me – I learned how to navigate challenging situations and stay composed under pressure. These experiences taught me that no matter the obstacles, I could push through with hard work and determination. But while resilience carried me through those moments, I always knew there was something more for me. Read more>>

I believe I can overcome anything. In life & in business I have been knocked down more than you can ever imagine. I get back up and FIGHT, FIGHT FIGHT! From family member sickness & deaths, backstabbing business partners, natural disasters or pandemics such as 9-11, Covid 19, & Hurricanes that knocked my businesses out to all the curve balls life throws at you. Read more>>

This is such a great question. Resilience, for me, has been shaped by a lifetime of loss, beginning at a young age. When my parents separated, my mother and I moved away from everything familiar. However, I was able to visit family and my daddy often, well, when he was not in jail or prison, due to undiagnosed PTSD, grief, trauma, being a protective big brother and uncle, and the sense of abandonment from the people he loved the most. Read more>>

I definitely inherited and learned resilience from my Mom. She went through some tough times while I was growing up. She was a musician and, one could say, took a risk in this path. But she always persevered with a positive attitude. She was my greatest cheerleader and taught me a lot about following my heart and certainly a positive influence on choosing to pursue the arts as an adult. But when she got cancer and passed in her 50s, that is where the resilience really shone through. She faced her sickness and death with a lot of dignity and strength, fighting to enjoy life until the very end. There is no greater example of resilience I can imagine. Read more>>

My parents. 100%. They grew up in Europe during World War II – Dad in Italy, Mom in Germany. Anyone who has lived through a war knows the kind of resilience that takes. Even though, they, as my mother always said, were the “lucky ones”, meaning that because they weren’t Jewish, they weren’t sent to the camps to be murdered. For the survivors of mass murder, resilience exists on a whole different level and my mother always kept us very aware of that difference. In my family’s story, both of my parents (separately) moved to the United States after the war to build their American dream – which they did, after finding each other. Anyone who has done that, has come from another country to build a life here, knows the kind of resilience that takes. That’s how I was raised, how I think all first generation American born children are raised. You don’t just give up when things get difficult. The response to failure isn’t to quit, it’s to learn from your mistakes and try again with fresh eyes. Resilience requires optimism, it requires flexibility. Read more>>

“Resilience” is so interesting, personally. I’ve always been fascinated with words. In high school we were getting our butts kicked by the visiting team, and at halftime my angered coach wrote “RESILIENCE” up on the board. He asked us if we knew what it meant. I’d never seen the word before. I’m guessing things didn’t improve in the second half. We likely lost, and I don’t recall how many points I had that game, but I was ecstatic personally because I had this new word – and the concept was highly important. Now, this story is an example of where I mine my resilience from. I am constantly reviewing and analyzing as much as I can in environment to determine whether it can power me onwards as my resilience. Resilience is our de facto gas tank on our journey through life. Read more>>

It’s hard to describe where it comes from. I think it’s somewhere deep within us all. We all have a story to tell. And we have a something in common. Uncertainty. It’s always tested but nothing will make it outshine more than when the pandemic it. In March 2020, the world turned upside down. COVID-19 brought life to a sudden stop. The directive was clear: stay indoors, work remotely, and in two weeks, things would improve. Read more>>

I draw my strength from a lineage of remarkable women whose resilience, vision, and love for life have profoundly shaped my journey. Their legacy empowers me to face challenges with grace and determination. When days get tough, deep care, trust, and staying focused on the larger goal help me navigate the immediate hurdles that can sometimes feel overwhelming. As women, we often carry societal pressures that lead us to question ourselves—Am I being too loud? Am I making people uncomfortable?—or feel the need to diminish our presence. Read more>>

Growing up, resilience was modeled to me by my family. I come from generations of determined, creative and fierce lovers of people. My great-grandparents (Louise and JC) grew up during the Great Depression. So to say the lease, they knew how to save and be scrappy. When they were raising a young family, they started a family owned and operated company in Louisville called Atlas Metal Products. This company is still thriving to this day. My grand-parents were married 68 years and lived in the same house they raised their kids in until they passed. They were generous with their time and constantly invited people into the Keith family as if they were our own. Read more>>

Honestly I believe my resiliency stems from an underlying defiance that I’ve always had. When I face a situation that feels designed to break me, that defiant spirit kicks in and its like, I refuse to allow this person or this situation or this trial to take me out. I start amping myself up and I don’t know – I just tap into a version of myself that refuses to be broken. I’ve also gone through so many things in my life that should have shattered me, and for a while they somewhat did. But then to see myself bring it back together and come back stronger helps me to have confidence within myself to know that I am so powerful and so resilient and I can get through anything. Read more>>

I get my resilience from my Ancestors. On my Mother’s side I am Southern Vietnamese, from the Mekong Delta. Originally we are river people. On my Father’s side I am Northern Chinese, and Eastern European. Both sides of my family have experienced war. Both sides of my family have experienced displacement, refugee immigration, poverty and forced American assimilation. Every morning I light an incense to my ancestors and I thank them for their resiliency; their efforts to survive so their future generations could have an opportunity to continue and hopefully thrive. Read more>>

I draw my resilience from my personal experiences and the deep sense of purpose that comes from fighting for justice. Growing up in a family that faced systemic injustice firsthand, particularly through my brother’s wrongful incarceration, gave me an unwavering drive to push through obstacles. My resilience also comes from the communities I serve—seeing their strength in the face of adversity fuels my determination to keep going. Every small victory, every life changed, reminds me why I continue this fight. Ultimately, my resilience is rooted in love for my family, community, and the belief that change is possible. Read more>>

I think for me, it’s a combination of things.
I was bullied relentlessly throughout school, and then as an adult.
I grew up in an unsafe, chaotic household of severe alcoholism and neglectful abuse, which carried on throughout my life into adulthood. Read more>>