We’ve shared some incredible stories of resilience below that we hope will help you on your journey towards building up your resilience.
Julie Hopkins
Since I don’t remember everything that happened when I was 0 to 7 years old, a time when they say your subconscious is formed and highly influenced, I will say that the my long career as a ballet dancer and the intense training beforehand germinated my resilience along with loving parents and a dad who didn’t hesitated to teach me everything never discriminating on a gender basis. With this equipment under my belt I always was and remain open and flexible in my interpretation of challenges. Read more>>
Andre Fisher
I got my resilience from my mother. Losing her in 2023 a few months before my college graduation I had to find the strength to continue on my journey. Some days were hard but it was all worth it. I also used the guiding light of my daughters to keep me pushing. One big blessing was that my 2nd daughter was born the day of graduation so I ended up having my graduation in the hospital while holding her in my arms. Read more>>
Stephanie Serrano
Resilience is a quality that has shaped both my personal and professional life, allowing me to navigate challenges and grow stronger through each experience. I believe my resilience comes from a blend of personal experiences, support systems, and a mindset focused on growth and learning. Growing up, my family faced numerous financial hardships. Watching my parents work tirelessly to provide for us, I learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of not giving up, no matter how tough the situation. Their unwavering dedication and optimism in the face of adversity instilled in me a deep sense of resilience. One significant moment that tested and built my resilience was when I decided to start OC Ice Cream. The idea of launching a business was both exciting and daunting. I encountered countless obstacles, from securing funding to managing logistics and building a customer base. There were moments of doubt and fear, but I was determined to succeed. Read more>>
Kathryn Gohmert
Well losing my vision temporarily was a massive reset. For three months I couldn’t see and no one knew why. I had to reexamine everything in my life and realize that what got me here, wasn’t going to get me there. I had to completely recalibrate my way of thinking and moving through the world… It was the most terrifying thing that has ever happened to me. I will forever be grateful to the doctors, therapists and loved ones that allowed me to step back into my life and continue. Sometimes we are forced to reexamine how we see the world and ourselves in it before we can move to the next level. And I’m so thankful there was a next level for me and that I could move into it. This is one of the reasons my work seeks to highlight the power the mind plays in forming its reality. Our minds are often more resilient and powerful than we realize. Read more>>
michael tamzil
Man, let me tell you, my resilience? It’s all thanks to my mom. Growing up with a single parent, you don’t get the luxury of slacking off. You gotta hustle twice as hard, just like she did. And then there’s my passion—that fire inside that pushes you out of your comfort zone way before you’re ready. It’s that mix of grit and relentless work ethic that’s driven me to chase my dreams. And thank God, I haven’t lost it. Sometimes, burning the candle at both ends is the only option you’ve got, especially in the beginning. It’s tough, but it works. Read more>>
Jordan Abecasis
My belief is that resilience is truly an entrepreneurs superpower. The ability to get up after every failure, learn from your mistakes and keep pushing forward into the abyss is not for the faint of heart. I struggled in high school, actually dropped out. It wasn’t until I took full accountability for my actions, where I began to become successful. I stopped blaming external circumstances for my situation, and rather took charge to fix it. Resilience is more than just a skill; it’s a habit that I cultivate daily. It allows me to face adversity with confidence and emerge stronger each time. Read more>>
Roma Nichols
Growing up in a traditional household with strict, hardworking parents who prioritized providing for a large family has deeply influenced my resilience. My parents’ unwavering work ethic and dedication to supporting our family set a powerful example of perseverance and responsibility. Their strictness and busy schedules meant there was limited time for leisure or play, which taught me early on the importance of discipline and self-reliance. Despite the challenges they faced, including financial pressures and the demands of raising eight children, my parents demonstrated resilience by ensuring we had a stable upbringing and opportunities for education. They instilled in me a strong sense of determination and the belief that hard work can overcome obstacles. Witnessing their ability to navigate adversity with resilience has shaped my own approach to challenges, emphasizing the values of persistence, resourcefulness, and family support in overcoming difficulties. Read more>>
Bridgette Lewis
Where does your resilience come from? That is a great question. I was raised by a single mother and am the youngest of two girls. Growing up, I watched my older sister, an introvert, quietly move in her purpose to become an international award-winning bridal designer. She is still going strong after 35 years in the business in the same location. Witnessing her manifest the dream life she imagined she has today inspired me deeply. Her determination taught me the value of and the importance of perseverance, even when my goals didn’t come to fruition immediately. I knew that if I just kept going, I would reach my objectives. My late mother, Sara, was an amazing educator who taught my sister and me more by her actions than by her words. Despite the challenges of being a special education teacher with no financial support from our father, she took on a second job and to creating additional income by sewing clothes for her friends and offering her services to community organizations. She never quit when times got tough; instead, she kept going. That is where my resilience comes from. Read more>>
Roshan Spottsville
My upbringing is definitely the reason for my resilience. I was raised by amazing people. Life wasn’t always easy, but my mother, grandparents, uncles, and aunts each contributed in their own way to my ability to push through difficult times, whether personal or business-related. When you become a business owner, it’s important to have the ability to persevere when challenges arise. Learning to be adaptable, creative, and solution-oriented will determine how long you stay in business. Entrepreneurship is definitely a roller coaster ride, and being resilient has helped me persevere. Read more>>
Angy Mera
My Resilience comes from my belief that it’s always a next day and a beautiful truth that we can rely on. Every time I feel down, sad or depressed because of my past traumatic experiences, I rely on emotional intelligence, which is a technique to apply while we are going through dark deep emotions, to be able to feel those emotions with an objective view. It’s a practice that is not easy in the beginning, but once is mastered, it is a great tool to be able to control your emotions transforming them into healthy energy and power instead of letting them get the best of you bringing you down in an unhealthy down spiral. Read more>>
Jodi Moore Lewis
I simply step back and ask myself – what other career would you be doing? Nothing lights my soul up as much as the stage or being on set, and settling for something dim isn’t an option. Not to oversimplify the question. In a career where you are told “no” more than “yes”, I deal quite a lot with second-guessing my worth and talent. The dirty hands of lack and scarcity grab at me constantly. But the way I see it, when you love something and it excites you, you show up for it. I don’t see resilience as being a strong person, transforming into a warrior queen figure – I see it as just that: showing up no matter how you’re feeling. There’s a dedication that is required of an artist and that can be uncomfortable when you aren’t feeling like your flawless self. This notion is not something I woke up understanding. I am a recovering perfectionist who thought I had to look, be, and act a certain way in all scenarios. The more I untangle the hold that has on me the more open I can be to my creativity. The more I actually DO my creativity. By shedding these layers I imagine resilience has come about with more ease. Read more>>
Aziz Tazi
I truly believe that faith is what sustains me these days. As you know, the film industry is fiercely competitive and rife with rejection. Hearing “no” is a constant refrain, and as an artist, my heightened sensitivity makes me even more vulnerable to the persistent negativity. What empowers me to persevere despite the many closed doors is my belief in God and higher ideals. I feel that as a good person, God will eventually reward me with success or even greater blessings. So i just keep going. Read more>>
Vrushali Hanamghar
I get my resilience from my father. He grew up in a poor family with absolutely no money. As a child, he stayed in the village and walked to school every day. His situations never stopped him from dreaming big the only one passionate enough to dreaming big and was determined to overcome them and build a better life for himself. During middle school, he moved to the city but lived in the slums with barely any food to eat. Despite these hardships, he studied very hard and topped all his exams. He went on to complete his engineering degree and got married to my mother. My father became a civil engineer and started working as a government contractor for the city council. His hard work paid off as he became highly successful, starting his own company, buying lands, multiple cars, and earning a reputation as one of the most esteemed construction company owners and engineers in Pune. Despite his success, he faced a significant downfall but remained extremely strong and never gave up. Even today, he wakes up every day to work out early in the morning and meditate before going to work. The way he adheres to his principles and lives his life is where I draw my resilience from. Whenever I face a difficult situation, I always ask myself what he would have done and try to follow his footsteps. He is in his 50s now and has never given up on life, always fighting his way through any darkness he encounters. He is my biggest inspiration and the source of my resilience and support. Read more>>
Clarice Tara Cuda
Resilience. What a personal question! I look at how my body heals, how nature heals, how my heart has healed. I think my resilience comes from a place of awareness and gratitude for the limited time I have here on Earth, in this body. We all have to survive our childhood, survive the various challenges that life, and death, and everything in between bring. Simultaneously, I believe that Life doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. I learned to swim in the ocean. I had to remember to dive below the waves. When you see a wave coming, and it’s small enough, you can jump it, rise with it, descend with it. If it’s too big you dive straight into it, pass through its intensity. But sometimes you don’t see it coming, and it crashes into you, taking you down to the sandy floor in its spiral, spitting you out on the shore with the burn of salt coming out your nose. My breath was always deeper after those moments, and I always returned to the water. Life in itself is resilient. When I was five I experienced a category 5 hurricane while living in St.Thomas. I remember seeing this black wind swirling through the window. I remember seeing huge sail boats washed far inland resting on the streets, flattened buildings, and needing to move because my school was destroyed. It was an incredible amount of devastation. I don’t remember feeling fear, but I do remember feeling sad seeing so much loss, and Life continued. Read more>>
Shirley Cisneros
I would have to say that my resilience stems from two things, one being that I am as stubborn as a child and two being that I am as strong willed as a child. With that being said, keeping my inner child alive has allowed me to keep dreaming. The ability to visualize my goals and make them happen is something that requires great effort and dedication. Balancing an adult mind and a child’s heart requires great patience and a lot of grace. I am no stranger to depression and anxiety. I have accepted that part of me. I also understand that it can be hard sometimes, but the sun always shines again. These days I create my own sunshine. I rest when I need to, and I don’t make excuses. Read more>>
Ozzie Mandias
My parents Read more>>
Shayla Khalife
In the journey of navigating the demands of the event industry, resilience emerges as a vital asset that carries me through challenges and tribulations. When pondering the origin of my resilience, I find myself echoing gratitude towards the foundation laid by my parents and the nurturing environment in which I was raised. From an early age, my parents instilled in me the importance of resilience, a trait that has since served as a guiding light during moments of adversity. Witnessing my parents’ unwavering fortitude in the face of difficulties has shaped my own perspective on resilience. Their ability to swiftly rebound from setbacks, maintain a positive outlook, and always seek the silver lining in every situation has left an indelible mark on my approach to overcoming obstacles. Growing up in an environment that encouraged independent learning, accepting mistakes as opportunities for growth, and embracing challenges with a tenacious spirit, I internalized the values of resilience and adaptability. Moreover, observing my father’s entrepreneurial journey firsthand underscored the grit and determination required to navigate the complexities of business ownership. His ethos of resourcefulness, minimizing waste, and making the most of available resources resonated deeply with me, instilling a steadfast commitment to making the best of any situation. Read more>>
Rachael Short
My resilience comes from the willingness to never give up. I have always been a hard worker and very independent. I look back on my childhood and often ask myself where the resilience came from. I didn’t have the easiest childhood, growing up with young parents who worked all the time, and a mother who battled with addiction. I learned at a young age to take care of myself. I have always pushed myself to work hard, learn new things and follow my passions. A car accident in 2010 left me a quadriplegic at the age of 28. At this time, I had a thriving wedding and portrait photography business, and a small fine art photography gallery in Carmel California, Gallery Exposed. I was on the path I had worked so hard to get to. Today I continue with my photography, but my main focus is trying to stay healthy and keep my body moving as much as possible. Giving up is not an option, I keep going every day… Read more>>
Promise Okoye
I get my resilience from the hardship and obstacles that I experienced at an early age in life, and also from my strong desire to put a smile on every woman’s face and empower them through beauty and self-confidence. I was born in a small town in West Africa and had other siblings. At an early age of 11, I lost her dad, and my mum was shortly afterwards diagnosed with cancer. I faced a lot of financial and emotional challenges with my studies but was determined not to let my early childhood challenges become a set-back. I worked so hard to earn a university degree in Biochemistry and then ventured into the Hair and beauty industry. In 2013, I relocated to the UK, where I spotted an opportunity in the Scottish hair braiding industry, which aligned with my passion to uplift women through beauty and self-confidence. My hair braiding business encountered a formidable test of resilience when demand for braided hairstyles in Scotland surged, amidst a limited talent pool of experienced braiders. Hiring individuals unfamiliar with afro braiding techniques risked compromising the authenticity and quality of my services. It was a conundrum that required an innovative solution. To address this challenge, I collaborated with another seasoned hair braider to organise workshops and apprenticeships programs to grow local talent, which attracted individuals passionate about learning the craft. Read more>>
Ricky Palomino
I get my resilience from my mother and family, plain and simple. From the very beginning I knew what it meant to work hard for something. How much it takes. And I knew what was important in life. Passion. Life is filled with a series of moments that sail you up, down, and sideways, with twists, turns, and reverses. lol. And being resilient is being able to see yourself through. Wiser and stronger. I think we are all resilient. Read more>>
Ryan Timms
Resilience is all about picking yourself up time and time again when you fall. I spent 20 years as an extreme sports athlete. Part of that grind is all about trying something and pushing yourself. Pushing beyond what you think you are capable of. Often this leads to some pretty harsh falls. Sometimes you fall down those stairs over and over until you get it just perfect. Imagine you are surrounded by your best friends. All eyes are on you. You said you could do the thing, you climbed to the starting point, and you are looking down at the bottom. The only thing standing in your way is your mind. You have to overcome that little voice inside your head that tells you to be careful or that you could get hurt, and just huck it. The first jump was always the worst. Sometimes the rail felt too high, or the stair set too big, or the trick too hard….but the first jump was always the worst. That’s when you’d get hurt or figure out it wasn’t so bad after all. Resilience is about getting over yourself and taking that first jump. In sports, in business, in life. Don’t be afraid to take that first jump because more times than not, it’s not gonna hurt as bad as you think! Read more>>
Harry Kleedorfer
As a child, I watched my father fight to provide for and defend his family. No matter the personal cost, he always made sure our needs were met. As an adult, I model my father’s spirit in both my work and personal life – making sure that, regardless of obstacles and challenges, my goals and aspirations are achieved. When I fight, I fight to win. Read more>>
Carmen Flores
I believe my resilience has its roots in my childhood. From a young age, I was taught that the world has both good and bad aspects, but the difference lies in how we handle the negative ones. I learned that problems can be solved and conflicts can be faced and overcome. Lessons from Childhood
Since I was a child, I witnessed this approach in action and adopted it as part of my mindset. This perspective has driven me to keep moving forward, no matter the difficulties. Appreciation for Conflict In fact, I like facing conflicts and uncomfortable situations because, in my experience, they are catalysts for change. Changes are necessary and, most of the time, lead to personal and professional growth. Tolerance for Frustration My tolerance for frustration is high. When something doesn’t go as planned, I persist until I find a solution. For example, my dream of becoming a flight attendant didn’t come true immediately; I applied more than 10 times before being accepted. At home, they would say I would be 100 years old and still applying, but I finally achieved it. I always share this experience as an example of perseverance. Read more>>
Cassie Cameron
My passion for music keeps me going. Read more>>
Rina Brown
My resilience comes from my faith in God and a major life changing event in my teenage years. In 1998, my parents and I experienced a massive flood. Many of my parents’ properties were destroyed within three hours. We ended up living in the streets with only the clothes on our backs. This event made me realize that nothing lasts forever. We struggled to get back on our feet. My parents were able to recover some of their finances. They were able to rebuild from the ground up. At a young age of seventeen years old, I learned that when you make up your mind and stay focused no matter what the situation or circumstances are, you can always recover and start all over again. Read more>>
Suzan Zahedi
Resilience, to me, is both a posture as well as a skill that is honed over time. I am a problem-solver by nature, so I am comfortable and inspired by looking at complex situations and discerning what is working as well as searching for the root cause of what is not working. Many people are afraid to “look for problems” because they interpret problems as a reflection of their performance. Because I think it is fun to grow, my business was able to adapt to the many economic and social changes over the past 3 decades and it has given me a spirit of willingness and fearlessness in welcoming change. In addition, I have encountered significant life challenges and have a deep faith and prayer life which helps me know, no matter what– all will work out. This attitude allows me to approach difficulties with a sense of control and optimism. Read more>>
Hanan Hazime
Honestly, I am not sure where I got my resilience from. It seems to have emerged with me straight from my mother’s womb. The way I entered this world was quite traumatic; my mother had to be airlifted to a hospital 2 hours away from her home to give birth to an extremely premature baby. I had to fight to stay alive from the very first breath I took. Since childhood I have had to be resilient to survive in a world that is generally hostile and oppressive to folks with my intersectional identities (Arab, Muslim, female, Mad/Neurodivergent). I am from a long line of resilient women who have had to endure war, genocide, colonialism, displacement, and abuse. My Mama is the most resilient woman I know and she helped instill a strong sense of resilience within me since infancy. My sense of resilience is also derived from a combination of my personality, my spirituality/faith, and the empowering lessons I’ve learned from all the strong, resilient women of colour who have come before me. Sayyidah Zaynab, an important historical and spiritual figure in Shia Islam symbolizes the epitome of resilience for me and is my greatest role model. Despite the many hardships she endured, including witnessing the massacre of her family and friends, she continued to fight for justice and never wavered in her integrity and principles. Read more>>
John and Thomas McGuin
John and Thomas McGuin faced a ton of adversity all throughout their jiu jitsu journey. Injury after injury, struggling to make ends meet, and the loss of their father. They had every excuse to give up and find an easier path, but they had a dream that they refused to give up. Keeping their eyes on the plan God had for them and supporting each other fiercely through every step the brothers were, and are still, a force to be reckoned with. Becoming resilient was never an option for them, but a requirement to make it to where they are today. Read more>>
FENESSE HENRY
From the jump, I’ve been a stubborn person.Resilience for me stems from that stubbornness. My relationship with my craft is entirely in my control.The good and the bad are directly tied with the amount of effort I’ve put in. I refuse to believe that I won’t be successful, even in the humbling moments. At the end of the day, I chalk up bumps in the road and setbacks to just growing pains. In my life, I’ve seen a lot of people I don’t want to be like growing up. Not having a pillar to lean on, I realized the path I’m going will be uncomfortable since I’ve never known anyone that’s done it before me. So, if I’m going to be uncomfortable anyway, I’m going to choose the one where I’m chasing after something I love. Read more>>
Zhang Weinan
Thank you for the interview. My name is Karl, and my Chinese name is Zhang Weinan. Regarding where I get my resilience from, I’d like to share my story. At the age of 22, I was working as a headhunter in Shanghai, but I felt lost because I couldn’t find something I truly enjoyed. I had always dreamed of opening an online store and designing products to sell to customers. So, at 22, I quit my job, packed my suitcase, and moved to Yiwu, China, to start my entrepreneurial journey. Looking back on my 9 years of entrepreneurship, I have experienced a lot. In the beginning, I worked in a basement, packaging goods for a boss, earning less than $300 per month. I did this for three months before I quit and started my own business. I rented a small room for $100 a month and began selling my products on Amazon. I vividly remember that my first product was a face mask. With no money, I had to pack and ship the products by myself in that small room for an entire year. It wasn’t until I turned 24 that my business started to improve. Even after all these years, this experience remains very clear in my memory. It taught me a crucial lesson in life: to maintain a spirit of hard work and perseverance. This is why I have become so resilient and strong. Read more>>
Betty Mora
I’d like to give all the credit for my resilience to my parents. They have shown me endless resiliency since the first day we moved to the U. S when I was only 6 years old. We faced many challenges as immigrants and they did not give up and kept going. They both showed my brother and I that hard work and resiliency is crucial to live out our version of the American Dream. My mom and dad took on multiple jobs to keep food on the table and to provide a comfortable life for our family, some days I would not see them except for when it was time for bed. It was hard for my mom to transition from being a stay at home mother in Mexico to having to work two jobs and barely being available to see her own kids. My dad took on two jobs as well, there was a time he had three jobs and we would rarely see him, it took years for us to get settled and adjust but as resilient as we were as a family we did it, and moving to the U.S was the best decision my parents could’ve ever made. Read more>>
Angie Stevenson
The resilience that runs deep within me, I believe, is a direct inheritance from my parents. Their positive and hopeful perspective has been a guiding light in my life. From moving out at 18, coming from humble beginnings, and being raised with modest means, I’ve learned resilience not by choice, but out of necessity. I am no stranger to taking the road less traveled in life, formulating concepts, and tirelessly working towards turning them into realities. Every setback is seen as a stepping stone to a better life and a lesson that contributes significantly to my personal growth. In addition, navigating the entertainment industry calls for a high level of resilience, as it requires one to be open to criticism with every endeavor. Read more>>
