Forging Resilience

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What does it take to truly bounce back from life’s challenges? How do we forge resilience in a world that constantly tests us? To me, resilience is the ability to bounce back from being knocked down. Or standing solid on a firm foundation and enduring setbacks with patience.


“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”

Napoleon Bonaparte.


David Goggins describes the ‘cookie jar’ concept, where each ‘cookie’ represents a past challenge overcome, reminding us of our strength in tough moments. When facing significant challenge, it’s good to remind ourselves of who we are. We are the sum of the experiences we have and the choices we made as we went through them.

But what happens when you’re young and you haven’t faced significant trouble? In my humble opinion, we should seek out adversity. Seek out new experiences that will challenge us. We need resistance in order to grow stronger.


"Strong people are made by opposition - like kites that go up against the wind." 

Frank Harris


It’s all character-building. It’s called experiential learning. An everlasting cycle in which personal growth is nurtured.


 



Experiences alone aren’t enough; growth comes from reflecting on those experiences. By analyzing what went well and what didn’t, we equip ourselves to handle future challenges more effectively. One crude example could be going on an overnight hike and forgetting your torch. The result of which was you couldn’t do the hike and had to come all the way back home… a bit annoying… but what would one do next time? Check they have their torch, or go a step further and write a kit checklist with every piece of kit they need for the activity they intend to do. And follow it while packing.

A lot of inexperienced people either don’t go out for adventure because of fear or lack of confidence. In which case, join a club or class that does something that interests you. Set a goal you want to accomplish and backward plan little steps you can do towards your goal. Then get out and do it!

So, step out of your comfort zone. Seek challenges, embrace the resistance, and watch yourself grow stronger with every step. Resilience isn’t built overnight—it’s forged through action. Not sitting at home all the time watching Netflix and playing computer games. Go and get real-life experience, you can’t buy it or fake it. You have to get out there and get after it.

If you need support in accomplishing it, go out and find it. For those who seek, find.


"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it"

 Nelson Mandela

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