Finding Your Inner Resilience

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times” -Paulo Coelho

When adversity hits how do you respond? Retreat and hide wishing circumstances were easier?

Or do you bite down, grit your teeth and prepare yourself to keep moving.

With so much attention given on motivating ourselves to move forward in life, we tend to forget that in life we all take hits.

At times circumstances in life will go smooth, we are blessed to experience these times.

Other times we will be battered and bruised emotionally and sometimes physically by life’s inevitable ups and downs.

As we’ve learned from Mr. Paulo Coelho, the secret is to get back up and keep going.

While it is true that we are all individuals on our own paths of personal destiny. There is no denying that we are all connected and interdependent on one another.

Every day gifts us the opportunity to find life’s lessons if we allow ourselves a quiet presence of mind and awareness to receive these gifts.

As many of you know, I have been traveling in India over the past several weeks.

During this time period I have witnessed a consistent recurring theme woven into the culture of India.

Resilience; to rebound or recoil. As a character trait, resilience is a person’s mental ability to recover quickly from misfortune, illness or depression.

You will find resilience brimming among the overcrowded chaotic streets as vendors market fresh fruits and vegetables in the rain, hoping to make a profit to provide food for their families.

You will find resilience in the auto rickshaw driver who spends 12 hours a day battling traffic to hopefully earn a days wages of 1,000 rupees (equivalent to $14 USD).

Among these are many more individuals displaying a level of patience and resilience that takes a lifetime to cultivate.

Though circumstances on the outside seem dire. These individuals have a smile on their face and an energy that cannot be denied.

It is not within our control when and how hard life will hit. However, it is in our control how we respond.

Whether you realize it or not, you are a resilient person. The fact that you have gone through those trying times in life and have not given up is proof of your resilience.

I hope you continue to keep taking actions on your path this week and I look forward to hearing about your story of resilience.

Until next time, keep pushing and progressing..