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.

Sandra Pacheco

I embarked on my skincare career at the age of 40, leaving behind the corporate world to start anew. It was a daunting decision to begin from scratch, but I embraced the challenge. My life has been marked by various obstacles, and I’ve learned to channel my resilience from an unlikely source—revenge. Read more>>

Kaycee Sewchok

When I think of resilience, I think of the phrase Advancing Despite Adversity. When I look at many aspects of my life, I feel like it has been a workbook in how to develop this. I firmly believe that the people we surround ourselves with can change the outlook we have on life and the perspective we bring to adversity is what can transform it from a negative into a positive. Read more>>

Schuyler Arakawa

In a thrilling Colombian adventure back in 2016, I found myself white water rafting when fate took a dramatic turn. A colossal boulder cascaded from the heights, altering the course of my life in an instant. The impact was staggering, shattering my skull, fracturing my back, both scapulas, and my right femur, while pulverizing my left ankle. The aftermath left me grappling with a new reality, as the injury disrupted my cerebellum and thus, my balance, confining me to the confines of a wheelchair ever since.  Read more>>

Jezz Strutt

I believe it comes from within me somewhere as I have always felt I have had to overcome different obstacles in life including moving from one continent to another. I feel I’m somewhat a pioneer and have been willing to explore and try new things in my life. This has strengthened my resolve to learn and my determination to do better. Read more>>

Gina Duran

Hmmm…Well, I think I am naturally resilient because I am stubborn. When people tell me I can’t do something, I often take it as a challenge to prove them wrong. When people hate my work, I take it as a compliment because I made them think or feel something undiscovered within themselves.
And lastly but most obvious to me is that my last name Duran, means ‘ever lasting’ because Duran’s are so stubborn…so I’ve read. I don’t know if it’s true, but all the Duran’s I know are very tenacious. Read more>>

Jessica Wick

I struggled with anxiety and perfectionism as a child and I feel that made me have grit and perseverance in all aspects of my life. My son, Dylan, struggled with SPD and debilitating migraines when he was 4 years old. I fought for him in every way to get him the help he deserved. We went to Dr after Dr and no solutions, no reasons for his symptoms, just Drs pushing medication for him. We discovered Brain Balance and it changed his life. I was so inspired and knew I needed to help other kids and families.  Read more>>

Soraya Bowen

For me, resilience comes from a combination of life experiences, my family, and my personal drive to succeed. I always knew my mom was an interior and architectural designer, which inspired my early interest in real estate and design. However, it was my dad who raised me, and his journey as an entertainer had a profound impact on my understanding of resilience. Read more>>

Alex Lynn

I’ve gained a lot of resilience through tapping into the people that inspire me. My parents, family, and friends. Personal mentors and heroes of mine. One of my great friends and mentors, Nick Bronsema preached and beat the mantra of “Attitude and Effort” into me. I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without it and I gotta take the time to thank him here for it. Read more>>

Eric Impallomeni

Resilience, for me, is deeply intertwined with my journey toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC). As I’ve delved into the complexities of mental health, not just as an academic pursuit but as a deeply personal endeavor, I’ve discovered that resilience is not an innate trait but a skill—one that can be cultivated, shaped, and strengthened. Read more>>

George Parker

“I love her because she’s so resilient” is something we hear a lot watching bad reality TV, where ‘Steve’ wants to praise ‘Susie’ but can’t think of an actual personality trait, so praises instead her capability to deal with his perpetual bullshit. I wish we didn’t have to be resilient. I could use a year where my health doesn’t nose dive off a cliff, my loved ones stay out of A&E, and there’s no background apocalyptic hellfire to constantly navigate whilst making small-talk and negotiating capitalism.  Read more>>

Maria Emmerich

I struggled with food and weight throughout adolescence and into adulthood. I am very passionate about helping people heal their body through food because the medical field has failed me and my family numerous times.
As an overweight 16-year-old, I lacked energy, I was depressed and didn’t know why. After a visit to my doctor, I was told I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and walked away with a prescription to an acid blocker and an antidepressant — not the answer I was looking for. That same week, my dog was losing patches of her hair. Read more>>

Kert Lasdoce

We have gotten it from our parents. Raised as immigrants we knew the struggles and grit from our home countries. I, Kert Lasdoce was born in the south part of the Philippines. Born from a lower class financial standing, both of parents are teachers and have persevered in their respected careers. Read more>>

Allie Millington

My journey to becoming a published author was full of No’s, Not Yet’s, and Try Again’s. It had long been my dream, though the road getting there was not at all what I anticipated.Rejection letters piled up over several years, for several different books, and naturally, the doubts and disappointment crept in. And yet at the same time, I found the rejections fueled my desire for this dream more. They refined me and reminded me of how badly I wanted this. I didn’t want anyone else to determine the outcome of this dream for me. Read more>>

Zele Avradopoulos

My father. My father grew up surrounded by poverty. My dad had to work from the age of 5 and remembers being the the fields by his father. Hearing his stories of growing up in Greece, moving to America, traveling to Ohio without knowing English and slowly building his future was, the best embodiment of me learning resilience. I remember my mother distinctly telling us “We didn’t have the same opportunities in Greece that you have here in America. Read more>>

Taylor Ash

“resilient” I was just pushing forward because in my mind I had to keep going. When I was in high school, I took the risk of pursuing my love of singing and music by applying and auditioning at music schools. These schools are highly competitive and some offer only a few spots each term. After many rejections, I was finally set to go to Westminster Choir College studying vocal performance. About six months in, my voice teacher was very frank and told me she did not think I had a career in this field- which of course was utterly devastating at the time (but she was absolutely correct).  Read more>>

Sarah Baldeo

Over the years I’ve learned to utilize a neural resilience framework that interrupts my fight or flight response in the midst of chaos or trauma. Whether this has been overcoming cancer, single motherhood and lone parenting, or facing lawsuits I’ve focused on utilizing my frontal cortex instead of my reptilian brain during stressful moments. This comes from a practice I discovered in my thesis work, called Ballistic Interruption. Read more>>

Charles “dj Chase” Taylor

My resilience comes from my need for survival. I have gone through a lot of traumatic events in my life. I apply them to my music and my business. I’m a fighter and never try to go down without a fight. I believe God is walking with me. I’m from New York, so the only way we know if a fight. Read more>>

Ronika Merl

Resilience is an odd thing.
There is a piece in my poetry collection “Joy Clings” which speaks of it. Resilience can be a wonderful thing, it can carry you through darkness and through difficulty, but it can also feel like a burden. If you HAVE to be resilient, all the time, if resilience is not a choice, if giving up and being “weak” is not an option… resilience can feel like a strain. Because it can feel like… “Sure, I can carry this, but why do I always keep going? Could I not, for once, sit down and rest, be carried, and be held?” Read more>>

Cindee Conner

My background in nursing and the Air Force automatically taught me how to be resilient. Being able to make the correct decision while working in long difficult situations because someone’s life depended on it gives me natural resilience, you have to keep going no matter what happens. This has proven to be incredibly useful in my new career as a business owner. Making decisions and moving forward is the only way to find your success. Read more>>

Ferrai Pickett

My resilience comes from being a mother of two Black girls and understanding the unique challenges they will face in the world. I know that as they grow, they will encounter societal biases and obstacles that I want to prepare them for. This awareness drives my determination to raise them in a way that equips them with the tools they need to navigate these challenges effectively. Read more>>

Samantha Araujo Harding

I get my resilience from my parents, especially my mom. She’s really a strong woman and my dad, he’s a strong hard-working figure too. So my resilience, it was brought down to me from my parents, from the way they taught me from a kid to still nowadays, they still teach me a lot. So my resilience will definitely come from them and also all the experiences I’ve had throughout my life! Read more>>

Jennifer Gable

I think resilience is needed in life no matter what you do.  I drink coffee and caffeine daily which helps keep me energized.  Consistently performing standup is a source of my resilience. The adrenaline you get from performing Stand-Up comedy, especially initially in the beginning helps to keep me chasing more of that feeling of making an audience laugh.  I lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise a lot.  I am my best self when I surround myself with those that support me and validate my talent and hard work. Those things are what helps me to remain resilient. Read more>>

Jimmie Outlaw Jr.

Since the age of 8 years old I have always had determination to finish certain things. Music was definitely one of those things. Music got me through a lot of troubling times. I began first just listening to music, then I began to listen to poetry which led to me start writing my own music. I was 13 years old at the time of starting to write music. By then, I had endured a lot in life. From being sexual assaulted by family and friends, to being put down by everyone around me for pursuing music. Music has always been my passion.  Read more>>

Aaron Dsouza

I believe my resilience comes from a combination of a strong sense of purpose, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. I’m driven by the belief that challenges are opportunities for growth. When faced with obstacles, I focus on what I can control, adapt to new circumstances, and remain open to feedback. This mindset, along with the ability to stay calm and solution-oriented under pressure, helps me bounce back from setbacks and keep moving forward. Read more>>

Gabriel Shaffer

Id say over the years I have cultivated a constant balance of gratitude, joy, faith, hunger, anxiety and a bit of delusion. It’s a tricky alchemy of serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine and adrenaline and I have a bunch of healthy habits that help keep it flowing. Gratitude is absolutely crucial. Everyday, no matter how challenging the situation, I try to always be aware of how privileged I am to know my purpose in life and to have the ability to actualize that purpose every day. This love and passion I feel for art and art making fills me with joy and a feeling of youth. Read more>>

Urmi Jani

As a psychologist, my resilience comes from a combination of factors. Primarily, though, I would not be where I am without my support system. My relationships with my family, colleagues and friends have kept me motivated and moving during both the happy times as well as the difficult ones. And there have been very difficult times. But, I have lived to tell the tales, and that is my testament of resilience. I also fully beleive that my personal values are what fuels my sense of resilience.  Read more>>

Amber Nicolle

I owe my resilience to my mother. After my father passed away when I was just 9 years old, she became a single parent and took on the role of both mom and dad. Through her strength and determination, she taught me the true meaning of fighting for what you want and never giving up on your dreams and aspirations in life. Read more>>

Jacqulyn Currey

Resilience is something that we as a society revere. In my personal experience, being faced with difficult situations since childhood has allowed me to develop a knack for resiliency. Family struggles with addiction, mental health, domestic violence and more; I feel myself and my family have seen our fair share of adversity. Throughout my youth, I knew that I needed to break a cycle, I needed to overcome and create a new “normal” for my children and so-on.  Read more>>

Matthew Carr

I had to get into the mindset of being the one positive factor in a negative situation. Whether it’s my own situation or someone else’s situation that I have a part in, I pride myself on spreading positivity and encouraging myself and others that things will get better. Read more>>

Sara Fashandi

I get my resilience from my mom. She didn’t take “no” for an answer easily and always found ways to solve problems. My mom was a tough lady with a big, supportive heart, and she taught me the importance of perseverance, creativity, and compassion in the face of adversity. Her unwavering strength and determination were a constant source of inspiration, and her ability to remain optimistic and find solutions in difficult situations Read more>>

Lisa Gakyo Schaewe

As an artist, I’ve needed to learn to trust that in the creative process, what needs to arise will arise. All areas of my life including my art practice stand on the foundation of my Zen practice. Through my daily zazen (seated meditation) I observe thoughts surfacing and dissipating, as patterns of clinging and aversion ebb and flow. If I do not get caught up and attached to a singular idea and concept, something new and alive can happen that I would never have been able to imagine if I was fixed in to a formulaic approach to problem solving.  Read more>>

Carrie Cantwell

It took me years of practice to build up resilience. It didn’t come naturally to me. As an artist, I put my heart and soul into everything I create, so when I first started out, I felt vulnerable and raw, and every criticism hurt, no matter how constructive or well-intentioned it was. After working for years as a professional artist, and going through critiques in art school, I learned that resilience is a muscle you have to build up. Read more>>