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

This is an interesting question for me and I would describe it as a strong feature of my personality. In simple terms, I would say that I am not a natural optimist, but it is harder to fathom the idea of ever giving up. The fear of not improving, of not getting better and of not pushing my boundaries has always been a motivation to keep moving forward. Although I would admit to being an individual with a lot of acquired fears, I’ve faced all sorts of challenges and have always come out on top or close to it. Read more>>
Dan Topete

Good question, I think we all find strengths or we anchor ourselves to different things that help us cope. I think I find my resilience in the good things that surround me, like the love form my friends and family and also in my qualities. Read more>>
Winter Harris

Learning resilience from my mom and battling through autoimmune disorders have been incredibly challenging experiences that have shaped who I am as a person. My mom taught me the importance of perseverance, strength, and never giving up, which are all key components of resilience. Battling through autoimmune disorders requires a great deal of courage, patience, and self-care. Read more>>
Flavia Guim

I believe life can be viewed in two ways: either you opt to endure little suffering and experience few joys, or you embrace much suffering and revel in great joys. It seems like I’ve gone for the second choice! Despite facing intense pain and hardships along the way, I’ve managed to create immense joy and gather outstanding rewards for me. Read more>>
Anna Chi

I have to say I learned my resilience from my childhood. I was born and grew up in China. When I was little, before Chinese people have privately owned properties like today, most of the Chinese people’s accommodations were provided by their workplaces. My mother was a doctor so my family lived in my mother’s hospital. Read more>>
Michael Johnathon

I grew up in a very divided, violent, alcoholic Home. I learned at a young age to roll my own ball up the hill, very few, if anybody would be there to help me along the way. Although I found that not to be true, as time went on, I am surrounded by good friends and a supportive community, it also helped me learn the value of fixing my goal and not giving up. Read more>>
Manatsu Tanaka

My resilience is constantly reignited by art; the true power of art of how art nourishes community by bringing people together, to build a culture of building community, and by understanding the role that art and committing to the responsibility as a practitioner of the arts, there is this constant fuel, an eternal flame that keeps on burning within me and in us. Read more>>
Lauren Warrington

Few people would assume I have a tattoo. Likely, some will be surprised to learn that about me when reading this. But, if there was ever a word that I identify with each day and can imagine at every stage in my life, it is the word resilience. In fact, in the same month I shut down my public relations firm that I ran for 15 years and embarked on my lifelong career passion journey of opening a flower shop, I decided to finally get that tattoo I’d been thinking about for years and years. Read more>>
Francis Miranda

Where do I even begin? My life’s been quite the globe-trotting adventure! It all kicked off in the sunny Philippines, where I was born and raised. After wrapping up my university years, I landed my first gig in the vibrant heart of Spain. Talk about a dream start, right? But the story doesn’t end there. I found myself back in the Philippines, only to soon pack my bags for Malaysia. It’s a bit of a world tour, you could say. Eventually, I made my way back home before taking the giant leap to the United States, where I now call home. Read more>>
Camille Simone Thomas

As a 5th generation Detroiter my resilience is ancestral. I was born and raised in a city that has resilience built in its bones. Even before it became “Motown” the place known for birthing some of the best music in the United States or “Motorcity” the heart of the American auto industry, in the 1800’s it was known as the final spot on the Underground Railroad before achieving freedom in Canada. Read more>>
Brittany Yates

My resilience comes from my mindset. I truly believe that I can do anything I want to do. If I have a goal and a plan, I will see it through. I know that sounds so straight forward and the reality is, its not. Even with a goal and a plan there are so many moving parts to getting things accomplished. Being a mom, wife, entrepreneur, student, and in corporate America you never know what each day will hold. Read more>>
Camie Scott

My resilience comes from within and my determination to live a fulfilling life. Growing up, my childhood and home life was chaotic and destructive. There was no support around me or anyone motivating me to chase my dreams. I knew that if I wanted anything out of life, I was going to have to go after it myself while also being my biggest cheerleader. It has taken me on an amazing journey in life. I find myself grateful for the circumstances that catapulted me into fulfillment. Read more>>
Jamaal Durr

My resilience comes from repeated failures in life. There have often been times where it has felt as though I was falling, and there was no parachute to help me land safely. Those falls hurt, a lot, but over time you simply get stronger. You become better equipped to withstand the pain, the disappointment, etc…. Read more>>
Kisa Williams

Living with a chronic disease can be very challenging. I face major struggles every day: chronic fatigue, severe pain, isolation, and even depression. I was born with a severe hereditary form of anemia in which a mutated form of hemoglobin distorts the red blood cells into a crescent shape at low oxygen levels. I had to learn how to cope with my illness while maintaining a “normal” functioning life. I believe dealing with a chronic disease is where I find my strength and resilience. Read more>>
Nico Nguyen, Karmen Lau

As an entrepreneur, resilience is vital for navigating the ups and downs of business ownership. Entrepreneurship is like a roller coaster, full of unexpected challenges that require good problem-solving skills. Over our five years as a business owners, We’ve learned a lot about managing stress and solving problems. Read more>>
Tisha Hurteau

I get my resilience from my parents. My father was always a hardworking man who faced a lot of adversity in his life and I saw him push and work hard through it all. I never saw my father throw in the towel or give up when things got hard. My mother was injured really bad at work and her life changed drastically. She continued to put on a brave face and push through even through the hurt and pain. She is still continuing to do so. Read more>>
Diane Pauley

If I’m being honest, I think I get my resiliency from my mom. She passed away when I was young, and ever since that moment, I’ve been building myself back up. She may not have been there with me through life’s ups and downs, but I know that her spirit has endured within me. Life happens to all of us, the good and the bad moments, and we get to choose how we take them in and let them define us. Read more>>
Sarah Banker

I get my resilience from my life experiences. We all face obstacles and challenges. I believe if we utilize each challenge as an opportunity to grow, our resilience strengthens like a muscle. For instance, as I mentioned in my TEDx presentation titled “Our Love”, I have experienced a number of traumatic events throughout my childhood and adult life that shook me to my core; suicidal parents, physical abuse, neglect, lies, etc etc. Read more>>
Chris Vazquez

There is certainly a chip on my shoulder. Throughout my career, I have been told “no” so many times that eventually it lost its power over me. This journey began when I was very young. From a very early age, I knew that I wanted to be a guitar player, a performer, a musician. Read more>>
Gonzalo Lopez Marti

Resilience is not necessary a consequence of adversity. I had a very happy childhood. A perfect family in what could be described as an upper middle-class Buenos Aires, Argentina, neighborhood. The opposite of hardship. I was an above average student, certainly not a prodigy but I did effortlessly well at school: I was a quick learner. I played all sorts of sports too from a very early age until my 20s. Read more>>
Irene Konig

I am an early Baby Boomer. I think most of us were expected to do what needed to be done growing up. Most of us had two parents, usually a father in the work force and a mother who might have been part time working. Our parents and community lived traditionally. So it was expected that we would go to school, do our homework, pass our tests and, down the road, go to college,get a job and support ourselves, or get married, but still be capable of working if necessary. Read more>>
Erik Poldroo

I believe resilience has come from a few different sources, including my upbringing and experiences from the game of baseball. Growing up in a single mother household, I learned early on the importance of perseverance and determination. My mother’s strength and resilience in the face of challenges served as a powerful example for me. Read more>>
Jessica Nakata

When looking at this question, I was unsure if my answer related to “where did you get your confidence from”, versus “where did you get your resilience from” because I think they are intertwined .I am able to find my confidence when realizing that I have overcome and succeeded in the face of professional challenges that seemed monumental at the time. Working through those challenges have made me confident and resilient. Read more>>
Rafi Perez

Over a decade ago, I quit my corporate job and somehow bumbled my way into a successful art career, a happy marriage, a beautiful home, and a thrilling life. The only components that I can attribute to my success is persistence and utter stubbornness. Let’s just call it resilience, and it comes from that burning desire within you. Read more>>
Chris Vazquez

There is certainly a chip on my shoulder. Throughout my career, I have been told “no” so many times that eventually it lost its power over me. This journey began when I was very young. From a very early age, I knew that I wanted to be a guitar player, a performer, a musician. When I was 14, knowing that I took music very seriously, my parents pointed me in the direction of a place called “The Baltimore School For The Arts.” Read more>>
Gayathri Pusuluri

I think it started when I realized that my thoughts, ideas, and perspectives were unique and unconventional, and the pressure from society to suppress them intensified. I felt this growing necessity to assert my opinions, ideas, and beliefs more strongly in order to be recognized, heard, and understood. I learned at a young age that the ambitions I bring to my family are entirely my own. I realized through difficult experiences that I need to be resilient, consistent, and unwavering in pursuit of my goals. Read more>>
Gonzalo Lopez Marti

Resilience is not necessary a consequence of adversity. I had a very happy childhood. A perfect family in what could be described as an upper middle-class Buenos Aires, Argentina, neighborhood. The opposite of hardship. I was an above average student, certainly not a prodigy but I did effortlessly well at school: I was a quick learner. Read more>>
Irene Konig

I am an early Baby Boomer. I think most of us were expected to do what needed to be done growing up. Most of us had two parents, usually a father in the work force and a mother who might have been part time working. Our parents and community lived traditionally. So it was expected that we would go to school, do our homework, pass our tests and, down the road, go to college,get a job and support ourselves, or get married, but still be capable of working if necessary. Read more>>
Erik Poldroo

I believe resilience has come from a few different sources, including my upbringing and experiences from the game of baseball. Growing up in a single mother household, I learned early on the importance of perseverance and determination. My mother’s strength and resilience in the face of challenges served as a powerful example for me. Read more>>
Jessica Nakata

When looking at this question, I was unsure if my answer related to “where did you get your confidence from”, versus “where did you get your resilience from” because I think they are intertwined .I am able to find my confidence when realizing that I have overcome and succeeded in the face of professional challenges that seemed monumental at the time. Working through those challenges have made me confident and resilient. Read more>>
Rafi Perez

Over a decade ago, I quit my corporate job and somehow bumbled my way into a successful art career, a happy marriage, a beautiful home, and a thrilling life. The only components that I can attribute to my success is persistence and utter stubbornness. Let’s just call it resilience, and it comes from that burning desire within you.Read more>>
Lisa Junior

Growing up in a household filled with mental health struggles and alcohol abuse was a challenging experience that ultimately shaped who I am today. Instead of succumbing to the negative environment around me, I learned valuable lessons about resilience and the power of choice. I discovered that I had the strength to transform adversity into opportunity, and that I didn’t have to be defined by my circumstances. Read more>>
Sherita Carthon

From birth, I was SOLD hopelessness. Nearly 8 months pregnant, my mother was hospitalized for weeks on strict bed rest and prescribed Miller Lite Beer to preserve the life of my twin sister and I. Coming into the world, society stacked me with its own set of hopelessness. You are a woman. You are African-American. You were born in poverty. You are Plus-Size. You’re a Mom. You got a Divorce. You Have Lupus. Read more>>
Thando Kubheka

Where do I get my resilience from, uhm, I would say mainly from how I grew up as a kid. You know growing my parents could not necessarily afford me as much luxury besides that things that I needed in life, so to give a quick example, my parents couldn’t to give me lunch money at school, and to be able to buy lunch at school, having money in general, meant you were this cool kid you know, and on the other hand, bringing lunch from was somewhat ‘lame’, Read more>>