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.

Kyla Wilkenfeld

Motherhood is where my resilience was born. Actually, it came before that. I am adopted. I have been told I was unwanted and neglected at birth. My parents told me that even though I was small and underweight I was lifting my head to look around. I was a fighter. All my life I have been faced with racism, weightism, sexism, and homophobia. While it did slow me down, it didn’t stop me. I wanted to find THE thing that worked for me. At 21 when I told my parents I was pregnant That was the beginning of the biggest fight of my life. Read More>>

Doug Amrhein

I’ve always said: “If you ever see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear!” Believing in myself and betting on myself has never been something I have struggled with, no matter the odds or challenge ahead. Whether it was getting through the dark years of the late 90’s, moving to a new state where I only knew one person (post 9/11), learning a skilled profession (which I happily still do today), or completing a marathon (October 2015), I have never lacked for attitude or effort in anything I do! Read More>>

Mercedes Brown

I get my resilience from my desire to not want to be a product of my environment. Also I learned early on that I’m responsible for the life I want to create for myself and future family. In addition, losing my parents before the age of 30 truly forced me to grow up a lot faster and to essentially fend for myself in a way. Also the desire for happiness despite of my circumstances also encourages me to push through adversity. Read More>>

Pearl Kowalke

I get my resilience from my family. My three brothers gave me thick skin from all the teasing I got. My parents taught me to get over people’s negativity towards me. My sister taught me to look to the future and the art of distraction. Read More>>

Kyle Christiansen

Stubborn determination and the knowledge that hard times and easy times are equally temporary and cyclical. I’m blessed to have a strong support system with my friends and family in whom I can find strength, solace, and shelter. A safety net like that encourages resilience – the ability to bounce back from trying times and keep fighting for your dreams as well as the means to step out of the battle when you need a break. Myself and the people in my life have all endured trying times, hardships, and defeatist mindsets yet kept pushing through and forward. With each passing struggle, I’ve increasingly trusted myself to get through those times. Read More>>

Kristine Schwartz

Knowing that I’m helping people and their dogs keeps me going. Not all training sessions are good, some are very hard. Especially when dealing with fearful, aggressive dogs. I really have to watch for, and celebrate the tiny wins. It might be a quick tail wag, it might be that dog finally taking a treat from me, it might be that dog no longer barking or growling at me. That’s progress in my opinion. Then you have the dogs that just need a basic obedience tune up – seeing those clients succeed at down, recall, place or heeling makes my days a lot better! The mix of easy and tough clients is what keeps me going. Seeing them all succeed at some rate keeps me resilient. Read More>>

Chalice Springfield

I believe resilience is built in the “messy middle”—the space Brené Brown describes as that uncomfortable place between the beginning and the resolution of a challenge. It’s where growth actually happens, even if it’s not glamorous. When I’m going through tough moments, I remind myself: this is where resilience is being formed. Read More>>

Carol Madfox

The oldest of four, I was always daddy’s little helper in the garden. Fruit trees, grape vines growing on the entrance to the veggie patch, raspberries, strawberries etc etc etc. My mom would make jam and also freeze fruit and veggies for our winter meals. I grew up naturally (inborn) organized and energized always doing projects with results. My creativity and adaptability. developed from living overseas 15 years in diverse, and enriched cultures (West Africa, Moscow, Saudi Arabia and Greece/London). I learned that there is no right or wrong religion nor culture and thrived on discovering new cultures. I believe the endless variety of jams I make come from those influences. Read More>>

Anat LU Yifrah

Where do I get my resilience from?

I believe my resilience was forged in childhood. I was born and raised in a small village on the border of Lebanon and Israel. Growing up, I experienced the chaos of war—running to shelters in the middle of the night or during school hours as bombs fell nearby. But what shaped me the most was what came afterward: waking up the next morning, brushing off the dust, and returning to school as if nothing had happened. That constant shift between fear and normalcy taught me how to keep going. As a child, I didn’t understand it then—but I was learning how to navigate extreme emotional terrain. Read More>>

Giles Bailey

I get my resilience from a mix of personal drive and the people I surround myself with. Growing up, I was always encouraged to figure things out on my own, which taught me to problem-solve instead of panic. Later, diving into entrepreneurship and working closely with mentors like Rene Lacad really pushed me to stay focused, adapt quickly, and not let setbacks shake my vision. Every challenge has just become part of the fuel that keeps me moving forward. Read More>>

Jenna Ramos

I think my resiliency comes from two things. 15 years in the Army and Illinois National Guard drill just a few things into me. One of them was how to be resilient. The second place I learned resiliency from the Bible. My faith has been a very big part of my journey. Read More>>

Darlene Sanchez

I used to be an incredibly anxious person, always anticipating ‘the other shoe to drop.’ It wasn’t until I started telling myself, “Whatever curveball is thrown my way, I am capable of dealing with it,” that things began to change. Even if it shatters me, I remind myself that I have the strength to handle it — with tears and all.

I know it sounds simple, maybe even obvious, but that small shift in mindset completely rewired how I show up in the world. It brought me a sense of calm and confidence I had never felt before. Read More>>

Dr. Elaine Brown Spencer

I really believe the foundation to all my efforts and achievements come from the Lord. The Lord spoke prophetically to me in 2000 about my life and impact, though it didn’t happen right away in terms of becoming an author-playwright, director producer all I do and all the resilience comes from my anchor in God. Read More>>

Michelle Montes

My resilience has been shaped by experience, I left a flourishing makeup business in India and moved to a new country with a 1 year old and a 4 year old because my Husband got an opportunity here. Starting from scratch with zero connections, was one of the hardest things i’ve had to do.
It comes from the quiet commitment to my craft, even when things felt uncertain. I’ve learned to trust in my hands, in my ability to create beauty that resonates. Every client I work with, every look I design, adds to that strength. My artistry is something I continue to refine not just technically, but emotionally. It’s my anchor, and it keeps me growing.  Read More>>

Christina Chen

My resilience comes from growing up in different countries and having to become flexible in all different environments. I lived between Australia and Taiwan till college then moved to the States by myself, and have been here the last 17 years. Moving around has helped me develop a flexibility to being able to face different and sometimes difficult situations. It was great that I was an adult when I moved to the US by myself to set up my own makeup business since it’s a job that will require you to face a lot of rejection. Read More>>

Jerry Roisentul

Resilience wasn’t something I read in a book or learned in a leadership seminar—it was developed in the trenches of life. I developed my resilience the same way I coach leaders to develop theirs: by getting back up one more time than I got knocked down.

Growing up, I watched my dad—a man of grit and integrity—handle life’s pressures with quiet strength. That planted the seed. But it wasn’t until I faced my own setbacks—whether it was business challenges, team breakdowns, or moments where doubt tried to take me out—that resilience really took root. Read More>>

Connie Kirkpatrick

There is no complete or single concept for where my resilience originated.

When I participated in talk therapy at the beginning of my recovery journey I had asked my therapist that question. She said the closest she could derive an answer is that some of us seem to be born with it. Others learn how to develop it through the various influences in their life. Then there are those who are not fortunate enough to have those influences. Read More>>

Christin Becker

Resilience Isn’t Just a Trait — It’s a Journey

Resilience is the ability to move through and grow from difficult times. When I look at the characteristics of a resilient person—flexibility, a positive outlook, emotional intelligence, healthy boundaries, a heart for service, problem-solving skills, and self-discipline—I see myself.

Four and a half years ago, I made one of the hardest and bravest decisions of my life: I walked away from a 27-year marriage that was unhealthy, emotionally and verbally abusive, and controlling. As a stay-at-home mom, Read More>>

Megan Holman

It was a necessary survival skill. I’ve faced many forms of adversity that brought me to my knees, and I had a choice each time: do I give up and surrender, or do I get back up and keep fighting? Sometimes, choosing to keep moving forward was exhausting; so many times, I just wanted to lie down and quit. I didn’t believe I had a purpose for a long time. I felt like I was blindly stumbling through the dark, completely lost. I thought resilience was a burden, a means of merely surviving through the storms that swirled around me. Read More>>

Francisco M Mejias Rosario

Transforming Opportunities into Infinite Realities
My Resilience Journey

There is a moment in life when you know your path is about to change. For me, it was a day in late December 2009. It was my senior year in high school and, like everyone else, I was looking forward to the future. A routine doctor’s appointment led from an exploration to a diagnosis that changed the course of the upcoming year.  Read More>>

Francesca Salazar

I believe my resilience is rooted deeply in my upbringing, which wasn’t always easy. From a young age, I experienced challenges that shaped how I respond to adversity. In third grade, I had really long hair, and a girl in my class wrote a disturbing story about cutting it off and stabbing me with the scissors. That moment stuck with me—not just because of the story, but because I watched my parents step in and fiercely advocate for me. Read More>>

Flora

Our resilience comes from our shared experiences and identities that allow us to form deep, found-family bonds with each other. As transgender women, we face countless challenges every day, from simply getting misgendered to hearing news stories about our rights getting stripped away. But through the power of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (plus) community, we find the strength to keep on rocking in this not-quite-free world. Read More>>

Sara

My resilience comes from building something out of nothing—working weekends, learning as I go, and staying rooted in community when things get tough. I’ve worn many hats—some professional, some creative—but at the heart of it all is a belief that beauty, purpose, and grit can coexist. My work is about identity, uniqueness, and carving space where there wasn’t space before. That’s what keeps me going Read More>>

Carolina Castellano

My resilience was born in Venezuela. Growing up in a country full of challenges taught me from a young age what it means to keep going, even when things aren’t fair, easy, or stable.

When I emigrated to the United States, I had to start from scratch , a new language, a new culture, and no clear path to follow. At first, I considered studying to become an esthetician, but I met Professor Yudith a kind and generous woman who spoke about this career with so much passion. She offered me guidance, help with the payments, and opened the door to an opportunity I hadn’t even considered before. Read More>>

Sequoia Merriweather

I get my resilience from the strong women who raised and shaped me—my mother and my aunie Shelia. Watching them handle life’s challenges with faith, strength, and determination taught me how to trust God in everything and to know that I can get through all life’s trials. Their example showed me that resilience isn’t just about surviving—it’s about pushing forward no matter what life throws at you. So even with battling Bell’s Palsy, I struggled with seeing my own imperfections. I have to remind myself very often that I am beautiful, strong and resilient. I may not be perfect to other people standards, but who’s to say those standards are perfect.  Read More>>