Psychological resilience

Psychological resilience isn’t developed through constant positivity or feeling good all the time; rather, it emerges from learning how to navigate and endure discomfort, challenges, and negative emotions. Resilience is about getting better at feeling bad—facing stress, fear, disappointment, or failure and still finding ways to move forward.

When we embrace discomfort, we develop the capacity to process difficult emotions, learning that they are temporary and manageable. This approach helps us build emotional endurance, much like strengthening muscles through physical exercise. It’s in the struggle, in the moments of doubt and pain, where resilience is truly forged.

Over time, getting comfortable with discomfort allows us to bounce back more quickly from setbacks. We grow mentally stronger not by avoiding hardship but by developing the skills to cope, adapt, and keep going despite the challenges. In this way, psychological resilience is less about feeling good and more about being equipped to handle when things feel bad.