RESILIENCE

Strategies for Getting Up When Life Knocks You Down!

What does the word resilience mean? It’s defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.”

For many years, I believed I was strong and independent—able to handle anything life threw my way. Yet life has a way of humbling us and showing that true strength often comes from something deeper—a spiritual core within us that we don’t always recognize until we’re broken open.

There are times in every person’s life when we face challenges so deep we wonder if we’ll ever recover. For me, some of the hardest moments came from the pain of betrayal—from people I trusted and cared for deeply. When that kind of hurt comes from a spiritual community or someone we hold in high regard, it can shake our foundation to the core.

Through my own journey, I’ve come to understand that healing and resilience are not things we force; they flow from reconnecting to the Source within us—the divine presence that lives inside every soul. That connection is what restores peace, balance, and the strength to rise again.

Let me share a personal experience that forever changed how I understand resilience.

Early in my spiritual journey, my family and I attended a small community congregation. My son was a teenager then—full of enthusiasm, faith, and joy. He had just discovered his own spiritual path, and I was so grateful to see him growing. But then, an event occurred that brought great hurt to our family—something that deeply wounded our hearts and faith.

We were devastated. I questioned everything—life, purpose, trust, even my own beliefs. How could something so painful happen in a place meant to nurture love and connection? It was a time of deep soul searching.

Eventually, I felt an inner prompting to find a quiet place—to withdraw from the noise and simply be in stillness. One day, I took my journal, some music, and went to a local park surrounded by trees. There, sitting alone in nature, I allowed myself to weep, to release, and to surrender.

As the sunlight filtered through the leaves and a breeze moved gently across the porch where I sat, I felt something shift. A presence filled that space—a sense of peace and love beyond words. In that moment, I understood: I was not alone. The divine had never left me.

What I received that day was a profound awareness of a “Sanctuary” within—a sacred space inside my heart where I can always return to for renewal and healing. It’s a place where peace lives, where forgiveness is possible, and where brokenness transforms into strength.

Since then, whenever life tests me, I know where to go—to that inner sanctuary where I can reconnect with Spirit and remember who I truly am.

Through this experience, I discovered three simple but powerful strategies for cultivating resilience:

1. Gratitude and Praise – Lifting your heart in appreciation for even the smallest blessings shifts your energy from pain to power. Gratitude transforms grief into grace.

2. Stillness and Prayer/Meditation – Taking time to quiet the mind opens the way for divine wisdom and comfort to reach you. Whether you call it prayer, meditation, or communion, it restores your inner balance.

3. Sacred Words and Reflection – Reading or reflecting on words of truth—whether from sacred texts, poetry, or your own journal—can bring healing insights and remind you of your connection to something greater.

These three practices—praise, stillness, and reflection—have never failed to bring me back into alignment with peace and strength.

So when life knocks you down, remember: resilience isn’t about toughness alone—it’s about trust, surrender, and reconnecting with the deeper Spirit within. You always have a sanctuary—a safe and sacred place of renewal—waiting for you inside.