The Joy of Resilience

So, this week I've encountered many stories of people "bouncing back" from trauma, tragedy & just everyday challenges.  What occurred to me is that when someone expresses to you what has happened to them, often they will tell you the story as more of a "tale of survival".  It's as though they need to prove to both themselves and you that they have made it or will make it through.

I love this about the human spirit! When a tragedy strikes, although there will be a report of the casualties, the story that people like to concentrate on is how many survivors there are.  When someone tells me a sorrowful tale, the first thing that I want to do is find the "silver lining" to help that person feel better, especially if they can't seem to find it themselves.  It is never to diminish what they have experienced, it is to point out that perspective is everything.  So, depending on how you look at it, something good can be found.  Sometimes the only good that can be found is that it could have been worse.

We all must go through times of trial.  No one, no matter how blessed their life has been, escapes pain or sorrow in their life.  It is a necessary part of life.  Without darkness, we wouldn't see the light.  If we never experienced pain, we wouldn't be able to recognize joy for the blessing that it is.

With that understanding, we find ourselves celebrating our survival through the trials & tribulations that we have endured.  Yea us! "You're a trooper"..."you're never given things that you can't handle"..."you can do it"...you get the picture.

Although this may be a mechanism to save us from total depression, it is also a way to get us going again.  If you can remind yourself that you are still you, your light still shines (no matter how dim it feels), you can and will move on...then you will find a way to make it through whatever life throws at you.

If you are having a hard time right now, reminding yourself of what you have survived in the past can help buoy you up when you're feeling low.  If you're not, it can be a celebration of how far you've come and bring the joy of knowing you have good things ahead.  So, give yourself a couple of pats on the back and smile knowing that all is well...

Joyfully yours,

Robyn