Resilience





Throughout my life I’ve had moments of great weakness where I gave up too soon after a failure or I accepted someone else’s negative definition of me as the truth. I’m not proud of those moments but will admit to them and hope that I’ve learned and grown since then.

I'd like to share my wisdom of age and experience with young people like my sons in the hopes that they will discover their inner resilience earlier than I did. I think my inner strength or resilience was there all along but often I didn't trust it enough to tap into it.

Just like a piece of sandstone that has undergone intense pressure and heat to become a hard igneous rock, I would like to think I’m stronger now after a lifetime of hurts and disappointments.

Of course I’m far from perfect and still go through my weak moments but hopefully I’m more resilient now than when I was younger. I still get hurt but am able to weather it better than when I was younger and more inexperienced, convinced the world was ending if I failed or someone was mean to me. Now I know I will get through it and that I’m a good person with lots to offer, worthy of self love and respect.

To me Reslience is:
  • Believing in yourself during difficult times.
  • Trusting your inner wisdom to guide you.
  • Not being swayed or manipulated by others’ opinions and not taking what they say so personally. Their opinion of you is not a reflection of you, it’s a reflection of them.
  • Realizing you aren’t perfect and will fail sometimes. Everyone has failures, even those who give the illusion of perfection.
  • Picking yourself up after failure and starting again, smarter and stronger this time.
  • Realizing that failure and disappointment are tough to go through but they also makes you grow and that makes you that much more resilient.
I am taking part in the Write Tribe Blogging Challenge to be a problogger, blogging daily. http://writetribe.com/welcome-september/



Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 8, 2014 at 5:53 PM

    great read!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 9, 2014 at 6:14 AM

      Thanks, Eric. You and Rory are always so supportive even if you do read my blog posts in "the voice."

      Delete
  2. Vidya SurySeptember 9, 2014 at 4:52 AM

    What wonderful wisdom, Cat! It is so sad that we're ready to believe the worst of ourselves. Self-love is the toughest thing!

    I think you are a lovely person!

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    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 9, 2014 at 5:12 AM

      Thanks, Vidya. Yes, it's been a continuous journey for me to love myself as I'm my own worst enemy so much of the time. I am better now than I used to be.

      I think you are a lovely person, too and feel grateful to know you.

      Delete
  3. Beloo MehraSeptember 9, 2014 at 4:54 AM

    This is such a great reminder, Cathy. You have given a very good definition of resilience. I particularly value the point about recognizing that we are far from perfect and that we will fail and get hurt in this journey to find that inner wisdom and peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 9, 2014 at 5:13 AM

      Thanks, Beloo. Appreciate your supportive comments. It wasn't that easy a post to write and I felt a bit self conscious about it but it was therapeutic.

      Delete
  4. RajlakshmiSeptember 9, 2014 at 6:12 AM

    Your words both inspiring and encouraging, I am sure many readers would be inspired to pick up their lives and resolve to never back down

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2014 at 5:43 AM

      Thanks so much for the encouragement, Rajlakshmi!

      Delete
  5. NabanitaSeptember 9, 2014 at 6:18 AM

    So much depth in what you shared here Cat...It's about accepting ourselves and finding the strength from within and not being swayed or affected by any negative opinion of ourselves...Beautiful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2014 at 5:45 AM

      Thanks, Nabanita. Self acceptance is a biggie, for sure.

      Delete
  6. Corinne RodriguesSeptember 9, 2014 at 9:54 AM

    Thank you for sharing this, Cat. You are a wonderful person and a woman who exudes warmth and wisdom. I know just what you mean about finding our strength a little late. I'm sure your words will resonate with many! ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2014 at 5:44 AM

      Thanks so much, Corinne. Appreciate your kind words and your friendship and leadership at Write Tribe.

      Delete
  7. ChocolattezSeptember 9, 2014 at 1:34 PM

    so important to keep telling ourselves… I am worth it… I am good….. and stop the negative tapes…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2014 at 5:44 AM

      So true, ChocMA! I agree. Chuck those negative tapes in the garbage!

      Delete

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