Over the years, so many wonderful things have happened to me. My personal and professional life has been immensely blessed, and I am forever grateful. Recently, however, I have also experienced the passing away of those very dear to me. I was profoundly sad. What do both of these circumstances have in common? Resilience.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and misfortunes. After the funeral, I moved forward and adjusted to the new reality. I recovered from the initial shock more quickly than I expected; before long, I felt like myself again—just a little changed. That’s resilience in action.
Life has a way of balancing both joy and sorrow. Adapting to fortunate events helps us grow, while adapting to hardships helps us heal. We cannot expect resilience to be our remedy in tough times without recognizing that it also applies when life treats us well. The hedonic treadmill works both ways, returning us to our natural state of well-being, whether we are coming down from a high or pulling ourselves up from a low.
Nurturing resilience is an ongoing practice. When good fortune comes our way, it’s important to embrace it fully harvesting its bounty while also cultivating gratitude. By internalizing, savouring, and treasuring these moments, we are, in essence, strengthening our ability to bounce back from future challenges. Learning to adapt when things go well builds the habits we rely on when things fall apart.
One of the wonders of the human spirit is our ability to overcome obstacles. But just as we adjust to adversity, we also quickly acclimate to privilege. The real challenge is twofold: to recover properly from hardship and to grow when life is good—without taking our blessings for granted. Savouring is a conscious tool for reframing our experiences, deepening our resilience, and truly appreciating the journey.