Know It
Our program defines resilience as:

Adapting and striving for positive outcomes in adverse situations
Have a positive, stick to-it attitude
Identify with a positive role model

Live It
Adapting and striving for positive outcomes in adverse situations
Are you a glass half full kind of person?  Are you making lemonade when the world has handed you lemons?  Trying to turn a bad situation into a good one is a core trait of someone who is resilient.  Don’t allow yourself to get fixated on the problems or all the negatives a situation has created.  Make some changes or adjustments to what you are doing, thinking or saying.  A new approach may yield a more positive result.  When you work towards achieving something beneficial even in the bleakest situations, you’ll be left with satisfaction rather than disappointment.

Have a positive, stick to-it attitude
Be a cheerleader for yourself and others.  Sometimes all a situation needs is some positive energy to get things moving in the right direction.  You would be hard pressed to find a successful person who gave up every time things got hard.  Even when experiencing setbacks you will benefit from keeping a level head, regrouping and moving forward with a smile.  Reaching a goal is that much more rewarding when the trip getting there was a positive one. 

Identify with a positive role model
Find someone who exemplifies the character traits you wish to improve in yourself.  This may be one person or a few individuals.  It can be someone you personally know or an individual in the media or in history.   Even if you don’t have contact with the person, look to their actions, their past accomplishments, positive things they’ve said or shared with others to inspire you.  Sometimes difficult situations leave us feeling somewhat defeated.  Identifying with a role model that has been through a similar situation and not only survived but were left stronger for it, can give us the strength to fight for our goal

Teach It
Have you ever watched a young child try to do something new, like learning how to walk?  No matter how many times they fall they keep at it until they take that first successful step.  It is one of the truest form of resilience.  As we get older we lose some of that “stick-to-it” attitude and need to be reminded and re-taught how to brush things off and move on.  Teaching someone to be resilient is in itself a task that takes some resilience, but with persistence it can be done! A woman recently diagnosed with breast cancer shares how her good friend has taught her to be resilient:
“I was shocked when the doctor told me that the lump I had discovered two months back was cancerous.  My world came to a halt and for someone who always felt in control, I suddenly felt lost and overwhelmed.  I went home and cried.  I did this for a few days, you know, feel sorry for myself.  But then I remembered Beth.  Beth was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer 6 years ago.  She was so strong and brave through her surgery and follow-up treatment.  Even feeling ill from her chemo treatments she maintained a sense of humor.  From the day she was diagnosed Beth was on the path to recovery.  Cancer was not going to get in her way; she had life plans she had to get to.  I really believe that her positive attitude really made a difference.  5 years later, Beth is healthy, happy and cancer free.  I looked to her as role model.  I saw how she was able to make it through even the hardest of days, and it gave me strength to do the same.  My surgery is over and as I go through radiation and chemo, Beth has been a constant support and loyal cheerleader for me.  Having Beth as a role model has truly helped me through this life changing experience.”