The Dark Side of Resilience
There’s a reason that the underdog story resonates with so many of us:
The power of resilience is both inspiring and empowering. We strive to be resilient in all that we do, and our achievements feel even sweeter when they have been accomplished in the face of adversity.
But what happens when we become too resilient?
While overcoming challenges is inarguably valuable, research shows that an excess of this admirable quality can actually lead to unfavorable outcomes. An abundance of resilience can lead us to continuously strive for goals that are ultimately unattainable, to tolerate poor treatment instead of removing ourselves from toxic situations, and even lose our ever-valuable sense of self-awareness.
And I have personal experience with another unfavorable outcome: When we develop too much resilience, we can suddenly forget our own origin stories. Our tendencies to focus on the future and to keep pushing forward can cause us to overlook the challenges we’ve already overcome.
Let me share with you my own story of excess resilience, and learn why I’m setting it aside for the sake of celebration.
