Building Resilience Through Change

Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving; we get stronger and more resilient.

— Steve Maraboli

Change is inevitable. Whether it’s welcomed or unexpected, easy or earth-shattering, change always finds its way into our lives. And while it’s tempting to resist, to hold tightly to what’s familiar, change has a way of calling us to grow—to dig deeper into ourselves and discover strength we didn’t know we had.

Resilience is not about avoiding change or escaping its challenges. It’s about learning how to adapt, how to bend without breaking, and how to find purpose even in the hardest transitions. And the best part? Resilience isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build.

The Nature of Resilience

Resilience isn’t about pretending everything is fine or brushing off pain like it doesn’t exist. It’s about acknowledging the difficulty, feeling it fully, and then choosing to move forward anyway. It’s the decision to keep going, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

For me, resilience has been forged in the fires of some of life’s greatest changes. Sobriety was a change I chose, but it was also one of the hardest battles I’ve ever faced. It taught me that resilience isn’t about never falling—it’s about getting back up, again and again. Cancer, on the other hand, was a change I never asked for. It shook my world in ways I couldn’t have prepared for. And yet, through that journey, I discovered a well of strength I didn’t know existed.

How Change Shapes Us

Change has a way of revealing who we are. It strips away the superficial and forces us to confront what really matters. It’s in the moments when life feels most unstable that we learn how to steady ourselves. And through it all, change reminds us that we are capable of far more than we often give ourselves credit for.

Ask Yourself:

• What changes in my life have shaped me the most?

• How can I approach current or future changes with a mindset of resilience?

• What strengths have I discovered through difficult transitions?

How to Build Resilience

1. Embrace the Discomfort: Growth doesn’t happen in the comfort zone. Let yourself feel the discomfort of change, knowing that it’s part of the process.

2. Reframe the Narrative: Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “What is this teaching me?” Perspective can transform adversity into opportunity.

3. Lean on Your Support System: Resilience doesn’t mean going it alone. Reach out to friends, family, or your community for support. Strength grows in connection.

4. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself during times of change. It’s okay to struggle. It’s okay to take it one step at a time.

5. Celebrate Small Wins: Every step forward is progress. Acknowledge and celebrate the small victories along the way.

An Invitation

Today, let’s honor the changes that have shaped us and the resilience we’ve built along the way. Let’s embrace the truth that change, while difficult, is also an invitation to grow, to learn, and to become more of who we’re meant to be.

And if you find yourself in the midst of a challenging transition, take heart. You are stronger than you know. The same resilience that has carried you this far will carry you through whatever lies ahead. Lean into it. Trust it. And remember: you’re not just surviving change—you’re becoming something extraordinary because of it.