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

Justin Cobb

It was something that was forged in me from an early age. I am a queer, gay man born and raised in a small, rural, working-class community in northeast Pennsylvania. My maternal grandfather was a Republican commissioner and my paternal grandfather was a Baptist pastor.

Both sides of my family struggled with embracing who I am. Read More>>

Anastasia Chernetska

Where does my resilience come from?
Probably from deep within, from the knowledge that I am responsible not only for myself, but also for my team, our clients and the brand that we have built over the years.

Throughout our journey, we have faced many challenges, including the pandemic, war and relocating from Kyiv to Vinnytsia. Yet we didn’t break; we adapted, found solutions and continued to create. Read More>>

Jennifer D’Oliveira

I grew up and only child with a single Mom. I watched her go through two divorces and let nothing get her down. She was also one of the original Rocket Girls, working on the Moon Landing in the 60’s.. One of a handful of women in a male dominated field. She had a degree in mathematics with a minor in physics. She was brilliant! However, she NEVER had an easy life. She raised me and my brothers the best she knew how but it was not easy. I get my resilience from her. She pushed through and persevered no matter what life threw her way. Read More>>

Indigo Dickens

I get my resilience from my faith in God and my unwavering belief in my purpose on this earth. Being an entrepreneur is no easy feat—it’s a journey marked by constant highs and lows. There are dry seasons, where it feels like nothing is moving, and there are abundant seasons, where everything seems to align. But what remains essential through it all is a strong, steady spirit. Resilience, for me, means showing up even when it’s hard, even when I’m exhausted, and even when the results aren’t immediate.  Read More>

Jude Zangel

I get my resilience from my inner security and surety knowing that I have the ability to come back stronger than before from any setback.
For me it’s a quality I’ve had all my life, I’ve just never thought that life will keep me down even when it’s felt tough to get back up. I’ve grown up with the mindset that life will go on, that whatever happens today, tomorrow will still come and it will bring new opportunities for me to do better. Read More>>

Chanel Bee

My resilience comes from a deep desire for breakthrough — whether it’s personal growth or professional evolution. I’m always chasing that next level, that “aha” moment that reminds me why I keep pushing. One of my favorite quotes is, “A winner is just a loser who gave it one more try.” That mindset keeps me grounded when things get hard. Read More>> 

Sierra Johnson

First, let’s define the word resilience.

Resilience is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties.

The keywords that stand out to me are withstand and recover.

Growing up as a child, my grandfather always taught me to be strong, determined, and to never give up. My grandfather’s favorite thing to say was “practice makes perfect” meaning no matter how many times you get it wrong, or you fall down, get back up and try again until you get it right, or until you succeed. Read More>> 

Jamie Kim

My resilience comes from two parts of my origin story.

First, I come from an immigrant family. My parents are immigrants from Korea and Japan. My dad, in particular, is an immigrant twice over. The first time was when he and his family fled South Korea after the Japanese occupation ended. At the time, Korea was extremely poor. He was seven years old when he, his father, mother and younger brother left in the middle of the night and sailed to Japan, where they hoped for better opportunities.  Read More>> 

Sabrina Odigie

Short answer: I love an underdog story.

Long answer… I saw a post on Tumblr or Twitter or something many years ago, that said something to effect of “you have survived 100% of your worst days.” I think that’s really the essence of resilience. No matter how sad or bad a day can be, no matter how foggy or defeated I might feel, I always come back. Read More>> 

Jenni Kuhle

For a long time, my resilience, which i like to playfully refer to as Stubborn Determination, stemmed from a more negative self talk and my unwillingness to let others down by failing or to live in being a slave to self disgust. In more recent years, that has evolved through mindfully improving my self talk to be more goal focused and success driven. So, what once was an internal dialog such as “if i don’t succeed at this, I’ll let a loved one down and be disappointed in myself” has become more of a “I always succeed when I stay the course, and success in this is a necessary step to achieving a more rewarding long term goal.” Read More>> 

Angela Chen

I didn’t become resilient overnight. I built it just by living life.

It started when I moved from Taiwan to the States. I had to adapt to the new environment and culture. Every day I had to do something that scared me a little like sharing my lunch or making small talks just to make a new friend. That’s when I learned that growth comes from being in discomfort. Read More>> 

Eileen Roman

I think resilience looks different for every person and situation. But for me, I think a large part of it comes from having a naturally curious personality. I’m naturally curious about not just the world around me, how things are interconnected, and about my passions, but also about who I am, and how far I can actually go in terms of personal growth and a personal journey. No matter the limitations I may encounter. Read More>> 

Veronica Markol

Wow—what a great question. And not an easy one. In fact, I could probably answer most of the questions I’ve been asked here in the same way, because my resilience, self-confidence, generosity, and even my ability to quiet imposter syndrome all come from the same source: moments that brought me to my knees. Read More>> 

Quentin Nguyen-Duy

I like to think I got my resilience from my decade of working in the performing arts. It’s an extremely tough field to work in, and as a mixed Asian-American and minority individual, opportunities used to be really scarce for me (things have kind of looked up post-“Crazy Rich Asians”).

The series of seemingly insurmountable objections started for me when I was like fifteen, and I applied to summer programs, and then boarding schools to study acting. Out of my many applications, I was only accepted into a few, and that was after months of putting my head down, rehearsing constantly, writing countless essays with the help of tutors I begged for favors, and with forged letters of recommendation because my public school didn’t have a drama program. Read More>> 

9 Patrick Di Santo

Resilience is not a reaction—it is a discipline.
It doesn’t come from avoiding hardship, but from facing it with eyes open, collecting every fracture, every scar, and transforming them into structure.

Resilience, for me, began as necessity.
I walked through systems that were indifferent—sometimes hostile—and learned early that silence would not protect me. So I studied the silence. I questioned what others accepted. I pressed on every surface until it gave way to something more original—something true. Read More>> 

Owen McIntosh

I feel that my resilience comes from my Homesteader upbringing. From as early as I can remember, working on the Homestead was life- and at the center of our homestead was our horses. My four brothers and I had to clear brush and rocks to create pastures- cut, and split trees to make fence posts- dig fence, post holes- dig ditches to lay irrigation piping- all to plant grass to pasture our horses. There was also our garden and Orchard:  Read More>> 

Jacob Leveille

Founder of Outcry
Jacob Aaron LeVeille

I am a Florida-born multi-disciplinary artist whose work blends street
art, abstract expressionism, neo-expressionism, cubism, and ink-based illustration.

Working with spray paint, acrylics, graffiti markers, and resin, my art confronts
spiritual oppression, cultural manipulation, and censorship—transforming personal pain into public truth. This is how I fought for a won resilience in my art career and in my life. Read More>> 

Graciela Espinoza

My resilience has always came from my mother. Growing up things weren’t always easy, and at times it felt like Murphy’s law was our day to day routine. Everything that could possibly go wrong would always find its way to us, but I never saw my mother defeated or fearful. She instilled in me that things would always work out with the Grace of God. My mother went through many hardships but she was always there for me and my siblings to lean on no matter what she was facing.  Read More>> 

Jillian Rothenberg

I get my resilience from several aspects of life, first my mom. My mom is the strongest person I know and she’s always taught me to be independent and learn to rely on myself. Especially as someone who’s struggled with anxiety and depression.
Most importantly I get it from my friend Max. I lost him to suicide in high school and after overcoming the depression that followed I dedicated my life and purpose to making sure others don’t feel alone. Read More>> 

Emily Harazin

My resilience started forming in my childhood. I was an only child, and my parents’ divorced by the time I was 4 years old. I learned early on how to navigate change whether I wanted to or not. I picked up the habit of relying on myself, which wasn’t always a good thing as I got older, but it definitely set the foundation of resilience. Read More>> 

Marla Briley

Dog rescue is hard—especially in Texas, where over 120,000 adoptable animals are euthanized every year. It’s relentless. It’s heartbreaking. And some days it feels like we’re fighting to hold back a tide that never stops coming. The reason I can keep showing up, even when it feels overwhelming, is because of the people around me—my friends, my family, my community. They’ve been my steady ground and safety net, carrying me through some of my darkest moments. Read More>> 

EJ Gonzalez

My grandmother Josie embodied resilience and resourcefulness in every season of her life. She was not only one of the hardest workers I’ve known, but also found clever ways to support the family—like cooking hearty meals for warehouse workers in the neighborhood, earning a little extra with every batch she delivered. Her energy never dwindled; Josie was always dreaming up improvements for our home, whether it meant mending a leaky roof, repainting the kitchen, or building shelves from reclaimed wood. Read More>> 

Aemilia Kemp

I think my resilience comes from my early life. I grew up with separated parents in a low-income household, and from a young age I understood that life does not always look like a fairy tale. I saw firsthand that relationships can be complicated and that circumstances are not always in our control. At the same time, I also learned that love, when it is real and nurtured, is the most precious thing we can have. That understanding has shaped my values and the way I approach my work in a very deep way. Read More>> 

Brian Tobias

I got my resilience from not letting my past define who I choose to be. On November of 2014, while i was an active duty military service member, I had a traumatic motorcycle accident where i almost lost my life and led me to losing my leg. And from there I decided that my life a as meant for more. There is a reason I am still here. My mother once shared with me the story of how I was born. While in her womb, I had a certain amount of antibodies, that her body no longer recognized me and her body did what a natural body would and tried to get rid of what was deemed foreign. Read More>> 

Max Damian

“I get my resilience from my upbringing and, most of all, from my mother. Growing up as a queer, gay male in Argentina in the 90s was incredibly challenging. Society constantly tried to fit me into preexisting boxes and suppress my individuality before I even had the chance to define it. I was raised in a divided household in Buenos Aires—my mother was a progressive, free-spirited woman, while my father was deeply traditional and religious. Read More>> 

Kiesha Pitter

Resilience is like perseverance…it is built not just happen and over time with God and the Holy Spirit by my side that’s where my resilience comes from. The calling and need to show up not just for myself but for others. Read More>>

Susan Roberts

“My resilience was built, not gifted. I didn’t grow up with thick skin; I grew up sensitive, observant, often quiet, and yes, often bullied. Being different made me a target. But instead of hardening me, those experiences deepened me. I became someone who notices the pain in others, who listens more than speaks, and who finds strength not in shouting but in standing firm. Read More>> 

Hudson & Mason Boyce

We get our resilience from our family, our faith, and a lot of backyard lacrosse battles. We’re family. The Bible says that iron sharpens iron, and we keep each other sharp.

At our house in Kirkland, every day feels like a mini training camp. Our dad, Joshua, is always telling us, “Life is just like lacrosse, you’re going to get knocked down, but you get back up, and play the next play.” He learned that from his own life, and now it’s part of who we are. Our mom, Kelsey, is the heart of our team. Read More>> 

Robin Kay

I have a firm belief that I can do anything and accomplish anything I want. I am willing to work hard to get the job done. I know that God will always provide when I am living by my design. Read More>> 

Jennifer Hoffman

My resilience was forged through a bold spirit and a fearless determination that took root early in life. From a young age, I was a go-getter, never afraid to chase big dreams. After graduating college, I knew Ohio wasn’t where my story would stay—I wanted to see the world. Night after night, I applied for countless jobs until, at just 21, I landed an incredible opportunity in Arizona planning and designing high-end weddings. Read More>> 

Toby Usnik

My resilience is rooted in a lifelong habit of turning adversity into growth—of seeing every challenge as raw material for something better. Growing up in the Midwest, I learned early that grit wasn’t just a buzzword: it was a way of weathering hard winters and uncertainty with humor and family. Coming out in a less accepting era taught me the importance of self-acceptance and the power of community—lessons that later shaped my work advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice. Read More>> 

Resilience didn’t arrive overnight. It was carved out of chaos, stitched together with struggle, and sealed by survival.

I get my resilience from watching the women before me carry the world on their backs—with no spotlight, no applause, just grit and God. My great-grandmother lived to be 102 and never stopped praying or pouring. My mother is my walking miracle—soft-spoken but battle-tested. Read More>>

Emelda De Coteau

Years ago, Maya Angelou, one of my favorite creatives said: “I come as one, but I stand as 10,000.” Those words have become a guiding mantra for me, an ever present reminder that none of us come into being alone; we are surrounded by villages whether those are physical or spiritual. I see God and the ancestors as our roots; they have planted seeds of resilience within us, and our lived experiences on this earthly realm help those blossom. Each challenge is an opportunity for continual awakening and growth. Read More>> 

Stephanie Jenkins

Resilience has always just been demanded of me. My late childhood/teen years were rough. My parents divorced when I was 8 and it really rocked what I believed to be my foundation. I was faced with lots of tough situations as a kid and a teen, and had to figure out how to endure and how to keep moving forward. I didn’t always know the right path forward and made lots of mistakes, but somehow made it to 18 and moved to NC to start fresh. Read More>> 

Karen Covell

This topic intrigues me because I have learned as a woman, a Christian and a leader, to have an unoffendable heart in all of my personal, business and ministry dealings and relationships. I have had to persevere when I was told what I was doing was a waste of time, I had to push past Christians who questioned my faith for both working in Hollywood and ministering here. I’ve been hung up on in a live radio interview, been put on hate lists from a couple of churches and told numerous times that I’m not really a Christian.  Read More>> 

Dr. Joanne Chesnut

When I was young, life threw me challenges that felt insurmountable. Growing up, I faced a turbulent childhood, navigating hardships and learning how to survive in circumstances that many wouldn’t imagine. These experiences shaped the resilient, determined person I am today. Despite the obstacles, I developed an unyielding belief: even with broken wings, we can still fly. Read More>> 

Amy Soto

When I first started tattooing, I was the only female tattoo artist in the county. I wasn’t necessarily taken seriously because it was a male dominated industry. I fit the persona more as a receptionist than what you would think a typical tattoo artist would look like. I tried several shops and after being shut down multiple times, I began to just teach myself and then tried reaching out to shops again once I was self taught. This seemed to work. Read More>>