Lachlan Brown
Hey there! Lachlan Brown here, founder of Hack Spirit and Small Business Bonfire. I’ve been digging into psychology, self-improvement, and mindfulness for years. Over that time, I’ve noticed that certain life experiences can make you tougher, stronger, and more resilient than most.
If you’ve gone through these eight experiences, you’ve probably built up a level of resilience that sets you apart.
Let’s dive right in.
1. Bouncing Back from Heartbreak
Heartbreak can be brutal. It feels like your world has come crashing down, and nothing makes sense anymore.
But here’s the thing: if you’ve managed to pick yourself up after heartbreak—whether that’s from a breakup or losing someone you love—you’ve tapped into a well of emotional strength.
Sigmund Freud believed that emotional pain helps us grow psychologically and reshape our understanding of love and connection.
In my own life, heartbreak helped me become more aware of my emotions and how I connect with others, which ended up making me far more resilient.
2. Overcoming Rejection
Being turned down for a job, being ignored by someone you admire, or even just being told “no” on a project you were passionate about—it all stings.
But if you’ve taken rejection, learned from it, and kept moving, you’ve already proven your toughness.
Remember Brené Brown’s famous words: “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”
Putting yourself out there is always a risk, but the growth you experience each time you face rejection is what builds genuine inner strength.
3. Starting Over
Moving to a new city, switching careers, or ending a relationship sometimes forces you to start from scratch.
I’ve done this personally when I launched my first small online venture and realized it wasn’t going anywhere. Let me tell you—beginning again from zero wasn’t fun.
But here’s why starting over builds resilience: you test your ability to learn, adapt, and keep believing in yourself.
Psychologist Carol Dweck’s concept of the “growth mindset” reminds us that being open to learning from failures sets us up for success down the road.
4. Standing Up for What You Believe In
Ever had to speak your mind in a tense situation? Or maybe you refused to follow the crowd when your gut told you something wasn’t right? It takes courage—and with courage comes resilience.
I once had to call out something unethical in a business deal. Not easy, but it strengthened my sense of integrity and taught me the value of listening to my conscience.
As Carl Jung once said, “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” Standing up for yourself is one way to do exactly that.
5. Dealing with Financial Challenges
Running a small business has given me more than a few sleepless nights over money matters.
If you’ve ever scrambled to pay bills, dealt with job loss, or had to take on multiple gigs to make ends meet, you know how tough it can be.
The silver lining? Every time you scrape by and adapt your finances, you develop mental toughness.
Albert Ellis, the psychologist who developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, taught that it’s not the problems themselves but our beliefs about them that either break us down or build us up.
6. Facing Health Struggles—Big or Small
Whether it’s battling a chronic illness, recovering from a major injury, or even just dealing with lingering stress-related issues, health challenges can hit hard.
But if you’ve learned to manage pain, anxiety, or fatigue while still keeping on with life, you’ve definitely proven your resilience.
Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, once said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
It’s an inspiring way to see health struggles as an opportunity for personal transformation.
7. Navigating Betrayal
It’s one thing to deal with heartbreak or rejection, but betrayal from someone you trust cuts extra deep. It could be a close friend who suddenly ghosts you or a business partner who double-crosses you.
Yet if you’ve managed to rebuild trust (in yourself, in others, or both) and keep moving forward, you’re demonstrating serious emotional stamina.
From my own experience, learning that forgiveness is more about freeing yourself than letting the other person off the hook was a major turning point.
8. Being True to Yourself
Lastly, life sometimes demands that we shed layers of who we think we “should” be and step into who we really are.
That can mean saying no to societal expectations, family pressure, or even your own outdated beliefs about yourself.
Abraham Maslow talked about “self-actualization”—the idea that we have a deep drive to become the best version of ourselves.
When you choose to live in alignment with your authentic self, you endure a lot of friction along the way. And if you can face that friction and still keep going, that’s real resilience.
Conclusion
Thanks for joining me on this quick rundown. If you’ve gone through these experiences, pat yourself on the back. You’re more resilient than you may realize.
Until next time, keep growing, keep learning, and never underestimate your ability to bounce back—no matter what life throws at you.
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