Developing Resilience

Holly Elissa Bruno’s best-selling book, Happiness is Running Through the Streets to Find You, is a story of developing resilience. Describing how she overcame the challenges she’s faced, Holly Elissa writes: "I had to reclaim my life…Loving requires surrendering the illusion of 'control.'"

She explains how people who overcome trauma choose to live: "We do not waste time judging ourselves or each other. When I am hurting, I ask for help. When I am happy, I share my joy...

I have choices. I can’t go wrong by being authentic and by inviting others to be true to themselves. When I mess up or fall into blind spots, I can learn. I can recover and I don’t have to heal alone.”

In an article, “Developing Resilience,” on the mindtools.com website, Dr. Cal Crow, the co-founder and Program Director of the Center for Learning Connections, identified several attributes that are common in resilient people:

• Resilient people have a positive image of the future. That is, they maintain a positive outlook, and envision brighter days ahead.
• Resilient people have solid goals, and a desire to achieve those goals.
• Resilient people are empathetic and compassionate, however, they don't waste time worrying what others think of them. They maintain healthy relationships, but don't bow to peer pressure.
• Resilient people never think of themselves as victims – they focus their time and energy on changing the things that they have control over.”

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