What does it mean to be resilient? The trait is highly valued but largely misunderstood, according to Keith M. Bellizzi, a professor of human development who has studied resilience in families and individuals for over two decades. Bellizzi is also a four-time cancer survivor, and he said if there’s one myth he wishes “society would retire,” it’s that being resilient is the same as bouncing back. He shares his definition of the term and five practices for building resilience in the article below.
Natalie Stone
Managing Editor
Today’s Pick
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‘‘Bouncing Back’’ Is a Myth — Resilience Means Integrating Hard Experiences Into Your Life Story, Not Ignoring Them
When Maria looked at herself in the mirror for the first time after her mastectomy, she stood very still. One hand rested on the bathroom counter. The other hovered near the flat space where her breast had been. The scar was raw and angry. The loss was quiet but enormous. Her body felt foreign.
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