Choosing Resiliency

‘Resiliency’ is one of my favorite words.

I recently read in the dictionary that ‘resiliency’ is something that’s bouncy, stretchy or pliable – like a rubber band!

I like to work out with extra large rubber bands. I often attach the rubber band to a bar and wrap it around my hips to add resistance to my exercises. It makes my workout so much harder! Sometimes I run sprints with it around my hips, do jumping squats, or work on lunges.

Here’s an example:

Well, one day the rubber band broke when I was doing an exercise! It snapped back and slapped my leg SO hard. I actually cried because it hurt so bad! I ended up getting a huge bruise – not fun!

However, the cool thing about resiliency in the human form is that we are MUCH stronger than rubber bands.

When tough things come our way, we can do so much more than just stretch. Even though we may be stretched to the limit and may feel like we’re at the point of breaking, we can overcome in a beautiful way. We can heal from things and we can grow through the challenges and their painful times.

And best of all, we can keep living life, pursuing our unstoppable dreams, and being all that we can be!

If I just focused on the loss of my arm during my whole life, I would be so much farther behind where I am now. I probably wouldn’t have surfed Jaws, gone on the Amazing Race or started my nonprofit, just to name a few. I also would have missed out on so many amazing opportunities for fun, joy, laughter and connecting with others.

As my friend, Amy Purdy says, it’s really about using challenges to bounce forward, not to get pushed backwards.  

It’s a continual process of learning, growing, and becoming more and more resilient. We’re all feeling some type of struggle, whether it’s financial, relational or just the struggles in the unknowns of this world. It can be really overwhelming, but I think if we flip our perspective, we can find things to be grateful for and that is true resiliency.

I am cheering you on today to be resilient, beautiful, strong, and to push through and be adaptable. All these things can help us to move forward and live our best life!

P.S. To find out more about my mindset on resiliency and adaptability check out this recording of an event I did with my friend, Amy Purdy! Or watch this video to see some of the ways that I adapt in the gym.


© Bethany Hamilton

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