Stories & Perspectives on Resilience Building

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

Jhada Williams

When I set my sights on a goal, there’s no stopping me! Sure, bumps in the road will come, but I’m ready to pivot and try all the letters of the alphabet until I make it happen. I’ve poured my soul into this business of mine, so turning back is not an option. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and even tough times are just a stepping stone to a better version of myself. I trust that God won’t give me more than I can handle! Read more>>

Barbara Lee VanHorssen

I am a survivor. My experiences of trauma were painful and difficult, but along the way, I developed resiliency. I found people who genuinely cared about me. I developed systems of coping and growing. Today I have greater insight into my own functioning, family systems, and the needs of a community I seek to serve. This awareness gives me a deep sense of empathy that has drawn me to my work. I do what I do because I simply cannot do anything else. I started my career in medical administration.  Read more>>

Vanessa Medina

My resilience is a product of setting high goals for myself seeking support from family and friends, learning from my parents’ experiences as farmers. discovering my passion for serving others, believing that my Faith in God is the catalyst that keeps me going, practicing gratitude, and adopting a positive attitude. Read more>>

Torrey Hair

I get my resilience from experience of life. Each obstacle that I’ve endured always came with a lesson that I needed to learn in order to progress to the next level. And then there some lessons I already learned, but I just didn’t want move on from. Read more>>

Shawna Mills

I was raised by my grandmother. She was a woman who never had “I can’t” in her vocabulary. While raising me, I’m sure it got tough, but she never made it apparent to me. I was allowed to be a child. Her goals were always accomplished and i wasnt ever away of how rough it was for her. Thats the mentality that raised me. To me, i was and am capable of everything if i put my mind to it. Read more>>

Diana Care

I believe that a lot of success can come from Law of Motion. Putting yourself and your idea out into the Universe even after multiple rejections or “failures”. Essentially not giving up on yourself and your idea and truly believing in your dreams. Working in entertainment you won’t always get the job but there will always be opportunities and you never know what job or connection leads to another opportunity. I’ve found this to be true in multiple aspects of my life. I’m resilient because as life continues to go on, so must my dreams, and I approach this with a positive attitude. Read more>>

Deborah Solo Collins

My resilience is now strong and flexible, which comes from years of practice navigating rejections. There’s no way to be a creative person in this world without having to face inevitable rejections. It’s all part of the process of climbing the cliff face of potential opportunities—you’ll try a million footholds before you find a path upward. So, even though I’ve had many successes to celebrate, I’ve heard ten no’s for every yes. With time and practice, I’ve learned to focus on the yeses, stay positive, and keep going no matter what. Read more>>

Teresa Korber

My resilience stems from the coping mechanism I developed as a child to survive a very tough upbringing. This mechanism is useful for dealing with hardships and traumatic situations, but not so effective for everyday life. The habit of resilience, while it was helpful in times of survival, is hard to shake off now as an adult. Therefore, I am constantly relearning how to slow down and be more present which is what painting helps me to do. To be present, to let go and to trust. Read more>>

Tara Sellios

I have always had tunnel vision in terms of making art. It is all that I really felt deeply passionate about doing. With that kind of intensity comes resilience. The determination and the refusal to give up no matter what the circumstances are derives from the fact that giving up is not an option. When facing struggles in this regard, be it financial, limitations, life events, etc, a lot of it may not sense to other people, but it makes clear sense to the one making the work. Read more>>

Melissa Green

As a Navy Veteran and Military Spouse, my resilience stems from a combination of personal experiences, the camaraderie of the military community, and the values instilled during my service. The challenges faced in the military, both as a service member and a spouse, have taught me the importance of adaptability, perseverance, and finding strength in adversity. Read more>>

Terrell Grier

I guess you can say I have been that way my whole life. I always had that go-getter mentality. During my childhood I was taught if you don’t have something go out there and get it. So it didn’t matter if I had to help an Old Lady at the grocery store with her bags. If I had to shovel snow, cut grass, even sell candy and chips in school. See I was born a hustler and a hustler is not just someone who sells drugs and grown up in Detroit Michigan that’s what most people did I was always a loaner no matter how many people was around.  Read more>>

Spencer Berger

I grew up surrounded by several older relatives who had survived horrific circumstances during World War II. Witnessing their optimism and joy for life, despite having endured the worst possible experiences imaginable, instilled a belief in me from an early age that humans can go through absolute hell and still manage to come out the other side. Read more>>

Rana Rose

Resilience is defined as the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. In my lifetime, I have faced loss (death), homelessness, joblessness, and financial difficulties. With each life altering event, God has been my source. He has given me the strength, courage, and perseverance to keep pushing forward and overcome my challenges. I can’t take credit for developing resilience because if left to my own devices or my fleshly strength I would have given up the fight a long time ago. Read more>>

William Regal

I believe that resilience is one of the most important traits a person can have in life . Growing up I stayed with my grandparents alot . They moved to California from Mississippi and didn’t have much . But they worked hard and showed such resilience that it was impossible for me to not take on that trait. Many times when they could have given up they didn’t ! They taught me that there is a bigger picture than just “you”. Read more>>

Dora Somosi

I’m a lens-based artist, now in my second career. Before diving into art full-time, I spent extensive years as a Director of Photography in magazines with creatives. I’ve dealt with the ins and outs of rejection – both giving and receiving. My two-decade stint in a career I loved, guiding others in crafting tangible creations, has given me valuable insights. Balancing family life with two teenage daughters and various responsibilities provides me with significant perspective.  Read more>>

Peter Hengst

I have faced a difficult path ever since I was a child. Being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease Lymphoma Cancer when I was 12, I knew I would be facing an uphill battle for the rest of my life. A year of chemotherapy and months of radiation left my adolescent body weak and vulnerable. It was my faith in God and the support of my family that helped me grow strong once again. I have succumbed to many ailments since those years all linked to the damage that the chemo did. Read more>>

Diana Short

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where I get my resilience from, but I can say that I have always had a get up and go attitude. I had my first job at 16. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and been involved in several things at once. I naturally have a curiosity about what I can create in my life if I put effort into pursuing my heart’s desires. If I had to really narrow down what makes me resilient, I would say it’s two things, the first being God really being my strength when I feel like giving up. The second thing would be my dedication to showing up every day with a desire to serve and support as many people that I can. Read more>>

Annie Norris

I owe my resilience to my incredible parents. Growing up, both of them were self-employed, navigating the challenges of farming and running a hair salon from home. Witnessing the roller coaster of their ventures, I learned the value of perseverance and hard work. I grew up in the small town of Plainville, KS, where everyone not only knows your name, but also your parents and grandparents, I absorbed important life lessons in a tight knit community that have made me who I am. Read more>>

Shaunette Myers

The majority of my resilience, approximately ninety percent, is derived from my mindset, while the remaining ten percent is attributed to external sources. Narratives of individuals grappling with diverse challenges and opting to surrender are well-known to us, and it is understandable that such decisions are made. However, choosing to relinquish in the face of adversity, while one continues to live, necessitates grappling with the daily reality. Read more>>

Jodie Smith

My resilience is rooted in the inspiring journey of my parents, both hailing from Jamaica. At just 16, my mother sought a better life and, with incredible courage, asked a stranger visiting Kingston if she could join her in Canada. Fortunately, that stranger said yes, forever altering the course of my mother’s life. This singular act of bravery became a turning point for our entire family. I come from a lineage of individuals marked by heart, courage, strength, and resilience.  Read more>>

Jessica Evans

This is a great question and would love to answer it! I get my resilience from the cards that were dealt me. Though not easy at all God has and is working in my story. As a little girl I dealt with pain and at 16 my dad passed away to brain cancer. After his passing a host of family members followed him who are now my guardian angels watching over me. Their legacies are the reason I work hard and push myself to be my best self as a songwriter, musician, music artist, entrepreneur and educator and youth advocate. Read more>>

Sky Cornelius

As an African American man, I believe my resilience is in my blood. I have dealt with challenges and traumas that I never thought I would escape from. I have my family and close friends to thank for my resilience. They allow me to vent and process when moments in my life become unbearable. Whether it be from relationships, breakups or work, I know they will be there for me. Having a support system is important.  Read more>>

Sid Stratton

I get my resilience from knowing failure is just a learning experience to make me stronger and wiser. I owe a lot of my success to trial and error and knowing that if I fail to achieve my goals with a certain set of steps, I need to not give up and just change those steps to achieve my desired outcome. Read more>>

Shannon Mitchell

When I am asked where I get my resilience from two of my anchor scriptures come to mind, Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” NIV, and Romans 8:31 ” What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” NIV.  Read more>>

Keith Josiah

i would have to say i owe my resilience to my family. Everyone in my family overcame some kind of hardship in their lives and their stories always remind me that there is beauty on the other side of every challenge in life. Read more>>

Denise Hoey

Years of practice! Success doesn’t come overnight in show business – even when it seems like someone has seemingly popped up from nowhere, chances are they’ve worked hard for years to get where they are. You get used to rejection and you learn not to take things personally. You have to be really passionate about the entertainment industry to survive in it and anyone who can’t handle the knock backs doesn’t usually last long. If you can believe in yourself and your talent no matter what the outcome of an audition, you will go the distance. Read more>>

Chantel Oakley

I attribute my resilience and perseverance to the lessons instilled in me from a young age. I grew up in a financially constrained environment within a rural community with limited resources. Despite these challenges, my parents served as unwavering role models, imparting the value of perseverance by constantly encouraging me to “dust myself off and get back up,” reminding me that I am strong and can do hard things. Read more>>

Dawn Smith-Theodore

Resilience is something that I believe comes from facing adversity in your life. You can choose to succumb to adversity or you can figure out how to deal with it and move through it. I believe that with each issue you are faced with, you can learn more about yourself and how you are able to rise above it. In my own life, I have dealt with family secrets, anorexia nervosa, being bullied as a child for being born with no enamel on my teeth, divorce and much more.  Read more>>

Chauncia Jones

As someone who has been through challenges in my life in many different areas, it was important for me to remember the foundation provided to me by my mother and grandmother. In my childhood, I was taught to have integrity in all that I do no matter how bad things get, to remain optimistic, focus on the positive, and never give up. Most of the time we tend to focus on what is wrong without remembering challenges are temporary. It always helps to be a part of a supportive community to teach skills such as effective problem-solving and techniques to increase adaptability. Read more>>

Matias Ponce

My resilience comes from my parents, my upbringing, my community, where I grew up. In The Old South End of Toledo, OH. My father, being the immigrant from Querétaro, México and my mother being the 1st born of 10, mexican american from Ohio. Their trials and tribulations have raised me into the human being and artist I am today, through their sacrifices they gave me my resilience. Read more>>

Calvary Sampson

Reflecting on my journey, resilience has been a constant companion, shaping me through pivotal moments. Hurricane Katrina’s impact on my hometown of New Orleans marked a significant chapter. Evacuating at a young age was a profound experience, and my spirituality played a crucial role. In the midst of chaos, it provided solace, reminding me that I wasn’t navigating the challenges alone. Transitioning into college as a first-generation student brought new hurdles, emotionally and academically.  Read more>>

Bri Smith, CPA

I’ve never been a quitter. I’ve had a life full of tragedy and trauma. But my faith in God has truly been what has kept me through all the dark times in my life. I think that we all have a choice, let the things that happened to us break us or build us. I heard a pastor say that it’s not your fault but it is your responsibility. It means that it’s not your fault what happened to you. What happened was wrong and you didn’t have any choice in the matter but it is your responsibility to deal with it. We can choose to remain a victim crying over what happened to us or we can choose to do the work necessary to rebuild our lives. Read more>>

Toni Junious-Quick, MSA

I believe my resiliency comes from all my life experiences thus far. The “Good”, The “Bad”, and The “Everything” in between.  Once I finally had that “AHA!” moment that life will always be filled with good, bad, etc. I was able to begin to embrace the adversities as they came, celebrate the good times when they came, and also enjoy every moment in between them. Read more>>