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Resilience

‘Resilient in the face of adversity.’

What does this really mean?

Resilient:

1 springing back; rebounding.

2 returning to the original form or position after being bent,compressed, or stretched.

3 readily recovering, as from sickness, depression, or the like.

Adversity:

1 adverse fortune or fate; a condition marked by misfortune,calamity, or distress.

2 an unfortunate event or circumstance. (Macquarie Dictionary)

‘Resilient in the face of adversity’ means that you are capable of recovering from misfortune. Being resilient is different for everyone. It doesn’t mean that you have to overcome the type of adversity I have had, but you can get through whatever tough times you are faced with in your life. You may not know it yet, and it may be hard to see right now, but believe me when I say that you are capable of getting through these times. In this book you will discover what I have learnt along my journey and perhaps you can use some of these tools in your own life, when you need them. I have spent nine years learning from the masters in this field: my therapists. Some of my therapists have been helping others overcome adversity for forty-plus years, so when they talk, I listen.

In 2008, I started the most amazing journey of my life, a journey to re-engage with society and with my own body and brain. For twenty-three years I had been full of life; enjoying the freedom of the world I lived in; and waking up every morning with an able body.

Until one day when everything changed and I no longer lived in a world that could give me this kind of flexibility. The tattoo on my back reads 15.11.2008. This marks the day I was involved in an accident that nearly took my life. This accident made me who I am today and I would not change it for the world. I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason; instead, I believe that everything in life is about the reasons we give to these happenings. I write about the reasons I have given to the happenings in my life in the pages of this book.

This journey has seen me go from the very top of what I could hope for in life, when I was having so much fun, to the very bottom, which had me fighting my way through depression as the result of a traumatic event. I’ve had days that I did not want to end and I’ve had days where ending it all would have been the easiest way out. Throughout this time, I have learnt a lot about myself, a lot about my own capabilities and a lot about the way in which humans realise their greatest achievements.

I believe this all comes down to the goals we set and the goals that we achieve. I was forced to set myself goals when I was at the bottom; the magic that has come from this has been incredible. Goals have been the backbone of my successful recovery and I owe a lot to the people who brought them into my life. Goals have essentially been the roadmap to my recovery; they have given me a path to follow for the last nine years.

Part One of this book is about what happened to me from the day of the accident on. You will journey with me through all of the turmoil that my life has thrown at me. You will see what I went through and the struggles I’ve faced, only to come out the other side with a greater appreciation for life and the people around me.

Part Two will show you, through my own experience, what you can do when you believe in yourself. If you come to the end of this book and find yourself looking at the brighter side of a once darkened existence, I would love to connect with you. You will find my details at the front of the book.

I don’t want this book to be just a story; I want it to be a book of inspiration. I want you to go out and achieve great things in your own life because I believe that we are all capable of doing this. Remember, as someone wise once said, ‘Falling down is an accident, staying down is a choice.’