One thing I learned early in sobriety is resilience, and I knew it was necessary for a healthy recovery. Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, and there are many challenges with getting clean: anxieties, peer pressures, learning to enjoy yourself, having patience, and many other temptations. Once I realized I could be resilient with one obstacle, I transferred the same willpower to additional difficulties, like a copy and paste.

To completely change, we need an unwavering commitment to recovery despite setbacks. Several times, I was tempted to revert to old behaviors like going to bars, but I sat in those feelings, fought the urge, and became resilient against the idea. I knew that going to a bar wasn’t acceptable. The next time I felt the same way, guess what? It was easier to be resilient because I had already demonstrated the behavior.

One thing I did to improve my attitude was attend therapy sessions. I went every Wednesday for over a year. Those insights provided clarity on my actions and addressed root causes. I was open-minded, and this reflective work was crucial to my ability to build resilience.

Cultivate resilience in the face of challenges. It’s the armor that protects you on your journey. Is resilience an attribute you possess? If so, how? If not, could you develop the ability when things get difficult?