We’ve shared some incredible stories of resilience below that we hope will help you on your journey towards building up your resilience.

Laura Aleman

I get resilience from the women in my family. From the many challenges I endured from a very early age. Resilience is something that I inherited from my people and from being born and raised in the island of Puerto Rico that is still a colony today. Knowing that like all the good things pass, the bad things shall pass too. Resilience is part of who I am and where I come from. Read more>>

Melissa LeEllen Biondi

First, thank you for this opportunity to share my journey. Resilience is such a strong part of mindset. Resilience’s definition is the ability to adapt to difficult situations. It’s also the process and outcome of successfully adapting to challenging life experiences. My story of resilience began in my early years, moving from one homeless shelter to another with my birth mother. Despite feeling neglected and alone, these hardships taught me resilience. Read more>>

Vera Phipps

My resilience is a legacy of my Ukrainian heritage, a blend of history’s trials and unyielding hope. My ancestors, enduring everything from starvation to wars, taught me a crucial lesson: true wealth is not material but lies in an indomitable spirit. Each challenge, whether the horrors of World War II or the struggles during the Soviet Union’s collapse, has been a lesson in strength and hope. Read more>>

Cassandra Marsh

I always struggled in school growing up. But I went from an inner-city school to a more suburban school. The curriculum was much more advanced, and I felt like an outcast. I went from a predominantly black school to then an almost all white school. And being biracial didn’t make it any easier. I felt every single teacher I had gave me such a hard time.  Read more>>

Chago Luna

I would definitely have to say my family and my environment. I was raised in a home where there was a lot going on and growing up in Brooklyn East New York there was definitely a lot of obstacles to go through from day 1. I can’t say I got my resilience from a particular individual or place; all I can say it was a collective influence.  Read more>>

Murray Bolesta

Art is a struggle. I do have some resilience. One of my mother’s favorite words was “forbearance.” She meant it as patience, endurance, self-control, especially in the face of struggle. Everyone has struggle. I remember my mother’s meaning. Read more>>

mark Anzelc

Our resilience was learned first from our parents. Both sets of parents were hard working, raised a total of 14 kids, and fought through a range of life’s challenges. We learned the value of hard work to achieve goals. Read more>>

Jeremy Thao

My resilience is forever fueled by the tenacity of my refugee parents and their will to succeed in the strange new world of America that they found themselves in after the end of the Secret War during the American war in Vietnam. To be the firstborn American child of war refugees means that my existence is the direct result of sacrifice. Read more>>

Anthony E. Tuggle

My resilience came from my parents. They gave me Grace and Mercy. My mother gave me Grace, she reminded me that I was highly favored and my father gave me Mercy, he taught me the importance of forgiveness. Read more>>

Grant Brady-Lopez

I’ve always had an inner drive to create and see a project come to life from just an idea to a final product. Since I was really little I’ve been interested in the same things; music, clothes, sneakers, and camera work. I’ve always known that this is what I wanted to do. When I get a creative spark or idea, I don’t let anything distract me or get in the way of seeing the project all the way through. Read more>>

Kherwin Nurse

My resilience came from believing in myself and trusting the process. Resilience like many things in life I believe is a skill gained through experience. Throughout different scenarios and the ups & downs of life, I learned to take certain lessons and apply them moving forward. In addition to those lessons I think it’s important to remain positive and have a positive outlook. Sometimes things may not work out, but in order to overcome certain situations you have to be positive. Read more>>

Mariah Fox

I hail from the generation known as “X.” This upbringing and social time period has really influenced my behavior, and my life perspective. We tend to have less fear about imperfection and failure, I think. If you aren’t afraid to fall down, that makes it all the easier to pick yourself back up. So in this way, I have tried things that work, and also that don’t work in order to find what feels right in my life. I truly enjoy time away from screens and virtual worlds, and I also see beauty in grunge, decay and what many might see as broken. Read more>>

Sylvia Stinson-pPerez

I was born with a visual impairment, which my young parents realized fairly quickly. In fact, they took me to the doctor to see what was going on. They told me that the doctor actually told them they should institutionalize me because I was blind. Now, I was the first born and my parents said they were devastated, but decided they would give me the best life they could. They ended up having 4 more children (5 of us within 5.5 years).  Read more>>

Marie Laurin

My mother often voiced her frustration about my father’s and my own stubbornness, affectionately calling us ‘tête de cochon’ in her native Quebecois. Rather than resenting the label, Dad taught me to embrace it as a testament to my own inner strength. However, ‘resilience’ better encapsulates my essence than ‘stubbornness.’ I once read that resilience lies in adapting and persisting, while sheer persistence without adaptation might verge on stubbornness or even foolishness. Read more>>

BILL BECCIO

I got my resilience from a couple of health challenges that I experienced years ago that necessitated substantial lifestyle changes and some long term follow up care. The incremental recovery process and the determination to continue my work were integral to the development of my resilience. Read more>>

Lisa Mozzini-McDill

This may not be a popular answer but my resilience comes from the grace of God. Plus some stubbornness on my part. Seriously, I don’t know how I would have made it through the dark valleys of life without His help. This is a tricky subject but what I mean is even when the worst is happening and I am maybe making mistakes I feel God’s help working around my mistakes. Read more>>

Liz Burns

My resilience comes from various sources. Being adaptable, maintaining a positive mindset, and being a good problem solver are just a few aspects. These traits are ever-evolving, akin to cooking up a recipe. You mix in a dash of positive vibes, sprinkle some problem-solving skills, and throw in a handful of lessons learned from the school of hard knocks. Read more>>

Jackie Johnson

I believe resilience blossoms from a combination of lessons learned, and patience. I had a unique upbringing that allowed me to develop an incredible amount of the latter, and garnered the ability to grow and adapt through the former. Read more>>

Alvin Haygan

My resilience is deeply rooted in the rich fabric of African American history, where the struggles of the past have sown seeds of strength and perseverance. Drawing inspiration from the resilience of those who came before me, I navigate challenges with a spirit forged in the crucible of history. Read more>>

Kelly Holmes

Resilience, for me, is deeply rooted in my cultural heritage as a Lakota woman. Drawing from the wisdom passed down through generations, I find strength in the teachings of our elders and the enduring spirit of my community. Our traditions emphasize adaptability, connection to the land, and the importance of sustaining not just ourselves but also the generations to come. Read more>>

Elena Pineda

I think it started with the fact that I was born last to a single mother of 5, I had to raise myself since my brother and sisters were already in their 20s when I was a toddler. Having to decide what to do with my play time and schoolwork all by myself taught me to be self-reliant and assertive in my decisions. Read more>>

Sof Puchley

From a young age, I knew I wanted to be an artist; it was never a question in my mind. Having a clear path makes it easier to stay on course. My resilience comes from knowing that setbacks can happen, but I know what is meant for me. I’ve learned (and am still learning) that validation of my work comes from within. Art is subjective, and not everyone will like it, and that’s okay. Staying true to my artistic vision, finding creative solutions to obstacles, and leaning on my support system have all helped me stay resilient in pursuing my dreams. Read more>>

Lauren Coll

I get my resilience from knowing that nothing is set in stone. To get back up when life gets tough is tough. But to understand that in most cases you can overcome obstacles if you keep trying, is to know your power. Sometimes, things will go your way. Other times, they won’t. It’s when things don’t work that you have to try another route. You have to remain resourceful. Keep trying different avenues to get to where you want to go.  Read more>>

Marisa Mu

I get my resilience from my late mother who has given me a deep understanding of my purpose and self worth. Read more>>

Oladotun Idowu

I get my resilience from God. My faith in the Lord has really helped me with being resilient during challenging times. Read more>>

Taura Johnson

My resilience comes from seeing my mother works so hard and diligently to make sure that we have a good life. My family originates from a third world country so we came from nothing. All we know is hard work, consistency and being resilient. No matter what comes my way, I try to perservere. When going through trying times, I ask myself “What is God trying to teach me?” It brings me comfort instead of asking “why me?”. Read more>>

Maya Mor

Growing up overseas, spending most of my life in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, there was no shortage of resilience surrounding me. The free country I walked in everyday that was fought for through two major revolutions through my lifetime both in 2004 and 2014 and now a full scale invasion by Russia, Ukraine and Ukrainian have earned the title of resilience time and time again. Read more>>

Ethan Klein

I get my resilience from creating and showing my content to people online. I am a content creator who has been in the space for 10 years. Most of it is putting myself out there and showing up and brining something I am doing in my life or being in front of the camera. One of the things I had to learn was filming verticle videos directly from my phone. At first, it was weird, but then I got the hang of it. I would love to thank the people that have been with me on this journey as a content creator. Read more>>

Arnö Vön Detritus

My mum. I was raised by a working class single mum. My mum worked really hard to make sure we had everything we could possibly need. She had to fight hard, and work hard, on her own, whilst also looking after me. Not easy raising a kid on your own in your early 20’s. There was no time for nonsense. If you wanted something, you had to work hard for it. She is my absolute hero. Read more>>

Johnny Tea

Definitely from my parents. Watching them overcome so many obstacles growing up has shaped me into who I am today. Read more>>

Ron Roberson

My resilience comes from a strong desire not to let my current condition be my final condition. Read more>>

Linda Souders

My resilience stems from my unwavering voice within, assuring me of eventual success. This inner determination acts as a constant reminder, fueling my ability to persist and overcome challenges. Read more>>