DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

“Resilience” is a word we’re encountering more and more often. What’s the deal? Is it just another trendy buzzword—or is it a word for new courage?

Resilience refers to the ability to adapt, manage challenges, withstand stress, and handle adversity in a healthy way. A resilient person can get through hardships—and come out stronger and more prepared than before.

Did you catch that? Read it again…

With resilience, it’s possible not just to survive difficulties—to endure them, to tolerate them—but to come out stronger. You can come through better equipped to face future challenges than you were before.

Knowing that can stir courage. Don’t you think?

Resilience isn’t just a personal trait; it’s also a dynamic interaction between individuals and their environment. So, we can also talk about resilience in organizations. We’ll leave that for another day. But just to say—I’m a certified trainer in organizational resilience. Feel free to reach out if you’re curious about that.

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What are “resilient people”?

Resilient people often carry an optimistic mindset. They look for opportunities and positive aspects—even in challenging circumstances. Where others collapse, they’re already giving a standing ovation to the next attempt—before we’ve even made the attempt.

Resilient people are adaptable to change and flexible in both thinking and behavior. They seem to play on more than one string.

Resilient people invest in people. They both build and draw from social support. We all know that strong social ties help us handle stress and adversity. Resilient people simply prepare better than the rest of us.

Resilient people have healthy self-confidence and self-worth. They believe in their own ability to deal with challenges. At the same time, they possess a brutally honest realism about what they can manage on their own—and when they need help. While others may struggle with low confidence or weak self-worth and hesitate to seek help, the resilient are grounded. They’re reconciled with themselves. They know who they are. They know their strengths. And they gladly seek help from others in the areas where they’re weaker or the terrain gets tough.

Resilient people are self-regulating. That means they can manage emotions and handle stress—smartly. This might involve cognitive strategies, breathing techniques, or other coping tools.

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What are the benefits of resilience?

Resilience clearly brings some strong advantages. Let me name a handful:

• Better stress management
• Improved mental health / Lower risk of mental disorders
• Strengthened relationships
• Better performance
• Higher life satisfaction

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How can we develop resilience?

To develop resilience, we can challenge our negative thinking patterns and work toward a more realistic and optimistic mindset.

We can also build stronger social bonds—invest in relationships and grow broader networks. A good start might be to share more of your thoughts and feelings with a trustworthy person you feel safe with.

We can develop problem-solving skills. Maybe it’s time to learn a few more tools for facing life’s challenges? Or to get better acquainted with how you typically behave under stress—and discover your best way out of it?

(Here I might add: I’m a certified trainer in personality factor profiles and would be happy to help you build deeper self-awareness and stronger tools for tackling challenges.)

To build resilience, we can take better care of our physical health. A healthy diet (so I’ve heard!) and regular exercise help strengthen the body—and directly impact mental well-being. Simply put: you handle life’s uphill climbs better when you’ve taken care of your physical self.

We can also learn from our experiences. In the team I work with every day, we say we’re always looking for teachers and lessons—in everything and from everyone. Because we never know where the next great insight will come from. Stay awake. Look at challenges as learning opportunities. And take time to identify what you can learn from each situation—or that insight might slip right past you.

And we can seek help when needed. Sounds a little strange maybe? That you become more resilient—better able to handle challenges, resist stress, and manage adversity—by asking for help? But resilience also means having a clear view of your own limits. Anything else isn’t brave—it’s reckless. It’s not humble. It’s not smart. It’s just… not wise. If stress or difficulty becomes overwhelming—seek help! Whether that’s from close friends and colleagues, or therapists, mentors, or support groups.

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On “Wingmen” and walking together

I have my wingmen. They know my strengths. That’s where I carry. They’ve also seen me incredibly weak. That’s when they lift. I’m not less resilient for letting them carry where I can’t. No, I’m human. And smart.

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Let’s land this

Resilience is a word for new courage. It’s partly something you’re born with. Live with that. But listen: it can also be developed and strengthened through life experience—any life experience! I find that incredibly beautiful. That no matter what life throws at you—what others put on your shoulders—you can use that as raw material to build resilience.

I especially love it when people who’ve carried a heavier load in life straighten up, take a defiant step forward, and walk into their future. Despite the odds, despite early trauma, despite others’ judgments—they choose, seemingly without reason and against all logic, to consciously invest in their own growth and claim their own future.

I deeply admire them.

Cultivating resilience can be crucial to handling life’s inevitable challenges. It’s real work. It’s a real journey. I know. I’m walking that road myself. And I would count it a true honor and privilege to walk some of those miles with you.