Resilience, and the human spirit’s ability to survive

I absolutely love to speak about the subject of ‘Resilience, and the human spirit’s unwavering ability to survive’ as it is something that is very close to my heart. I have been fortunate to have met many resilient people in my life who have humbled, surprised, and inspired me.

Before we get into the crux of the matter, let’s define resilience, why it matters, and how to tell if you’re resilient enough. Simply put, resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences.

More often than not, we all encounter challenges in life that test our perseverance and resolve. Some of these difficulties hurt, some hinder, but they all teach us and make us stronger – if we allow them to change us for the better. This is why resilience is an essential quality for success in life; it enables us to continue working toward our objectives in the face of adversity.

My own story has been one where my resilience has been tested at almost every stage. Every time I dared to step into the unknown, whether it was moving to Australia from a typical middle class family in Delhi, starting my own venture, or completely changing career path, I faced challenges as well as failure and occasionally fell rather hard, but in hindsight, all of those experiences have worked out one way or another.

Moving to a new country is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. When you arrive in a new country and encounter a culture that is noticeably different from your own—and possibly a language—you realize just how deeply ingrained you are in your own culture.

I always say that the secret is to embrace it rather than let it control you. Go with the flow, back yourself and let the new place and people show you the way.

This transition could be compared to starting a new job. Every time we begin a new job, there are new people, new premises, new culture. But taking one day at a time, we all learn to persevere and adjust, until it starts to feel like home.

Similarly, all working mothers need to strike a balance between work and family responsibilities, and they have all done so admirably, demonstrating the power of resilience. No young woman comes prepared to be a mother and a professional at the same time. But look around and you’ll see a super mum in every household.

It’s crucial to remember that developing your skill set to become resilient over time is necessary. You must put in the effort to develop resilience, and you’ll probably encounter obstacles along the way. There’s no final stage of becoming resilient. It is a work in progress, but the ride becomes fun sooner than we realize.