If there is one thing I have come to realise, it is how quickly life passes by. It feels like just yesterday that I held my eldest daughter in my arms—today she is a wonderful mother herself. It feels like yesterday that I went to school for the first time—today I’m a grandparent. Life is short. In the blink of an eye, it moves on. We only have one life, and therefore we must choose to live it well.
Living life to the fullest is precious, yet this same precious life is also unpredictable and fragile. I don’t know about you, but I have experienced the ebb and flow of life. Life has a way of throwing curve balls when we least expect them—unemployment, broken relationships, divorce, loss, unfulfilled careers, financial hardship, and more. These experiences can lead to fear, anger, shame, uncertainty, blame, withdrawal, and ultimately the loss of hope and faith.
THE BEST DECISION YOU CAN MAKE
The good news is this: the very life that knocks us down is also the life that offers second chances—if we are willing to believe it and take hold of it. The best decision you can make when life has happened is to stop feeling sorry for yourself. Self-pity has never brought growth, solutions, or healing. Yes, there must be time to mourn and process what has happened—but there must also come a moment when you say: “It has happened. It is what it is.”
People respond differently to trauma, yet over time most people adapt to life-changing events. What enables them to do so? Choice. And at the heart of that choice is resilience.
THE POWER OF RESILIENCE
Resilience is the ability to adapt in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, and significant stress. It is the art of bouncing back—or rather, bouncing forward—after difficulty.
Research shows that resilience is not extraordinary; it is ordinary. It is something people demonstrate every day. Think of a moment when someone pushed your head under water—you instinctively fought your way back to the surface. That survival instinct is resilience. It is built into us.
Being resilient does not mean avoiding pain or distress. The journey often involves emotional struggle. But resilience is part of who you are—and it gives you another chance at life. There is always hope and always an answer, but resilience requires a decision to act.
WAYS TO BUILD RESILIENCE
Becoming resilient is an intentional process. The following principles can help you move forward with purpose:
- Accept the Situation
- Accept where you are: It is what it is.
- Believe with perseverance and determination: This too shall pass.
- Commit fully to the process by declaring: I will bounce forward.
- Acknowledge and work through your emotions—seek professional support if needed.
- Guard your thoughts: I am what I think. Your thoughts shape your reality.
- Draw strength from faith and inner resilience.
- Take Control
- Avoid seeing your crisis as impossible to resolve—every challenge can be overcome with time and effort.
- Take decisive steps toward clear, measurable goals.
- Stay accountable and flexible as you move forward.
- Reflect on past victories and sources of strength to guide you through the present.
- Build and Maintain Relationships
- Resist isolation. Accept support when others reach out.
- Rebuild caring, supportive relationships—no one needs to be strong all the time.
- Set pride aside and allow others to walk the journey with you.
- Rediscover Yourself
- Reflect on what a positive future could look like—allow yourself to dream again.
- Identify your passions, strengths, values, skills, and interests.
- Celebrate how far you’ve come and remember the challenges you’ve already overcome.
- Discover—or rediscover—your life’s purpose and begin living it intentionally.
IN CONCLUSION
There is hope ahead. There are always answers. You simply need to choose to stand up, believe that this season will pass, and keep moving forward—because it will. I leave you with the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:
“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving forward.”
Be a blessing—share your story of hope to inspire others.