It’s important to be resilient.

Anything can happen to anyone at anytime. A bit unsettling, right?

All you have to do is turn on the news, on any given day, to hear about all the random things that have happened. The car accidents, murders, terrorist attacks. You can always count on the news to provide a heavy dose of “shit can happen.”

The other day, I met a woman who was in her early eighties. She’d been through a lot in her life, had dealt with her own illnesses and sadly had lost her husband and daughter in an accident. But, when I spoke with her, she was happy and peaceful. While of course she misses her family, she’s making the most of every day of her life. Even though she’s been through a lot in her life, good and bad, she is upbeat and optimistic. “Forward is the only option,” she told me when I asked her how she stays so positive.

She was resilient.

While we can’t control everything that happens to us, we can control how we react. More importantly, we can actively decide to move forward, regardless of the circumstances or situation we find ourselves facing.

Whatever life tosses your way, you can decide to bounce back. Sure, it might be hard and it might require a bit of patience on your part. It might not happen overnight. But, being resilient, regardless of what happens to come down your path, will help you to move forward, even when times get hard.

I’ve watched resilient people overcome obstacles that seemed impossible. The inner strength some people possess and the will to not just survive, but thrive, is something I admire in these people.

I’ve also watched other people give up easily and throw in the towel when life started to get hard. They expected to fail so they thought, “Why bother trying, what’s the point?”

What do resilient people do to help them move forward, even when life seems impossible? What is it about some people, like the woman I mentioned above, who have faced seriously difficult situations but keep on keeping on?

I’ve noticed that people who are resilient believe good things are coming. Instead of giving up, they move forward. They fight. They are strong and sturdy. They’re optimistic about their future. When they start to question their resolve, they push themselves onward. They love and cherish life. Even when it gets hard.

Resilient people cheer themselves on instead of holding themselves back.

They focus on what they have instead of what they’ve lost. They believe they can get through whatever they’re facing and quitting is not an option. Ever. The only option for them is moving forward. Doing the best they can. Taking one day at a time.

Here’s the truth…we’re all going to face hard times in our lives. When that happens, we can choose to be resilient, moving forward and expecting good things to happen. We can do the best we can with the hand we’ve been dealt, and believe in ourselves. Just like the woman I met, we can decide that “forward is the only option.”

Find meaning each day,

Dara