Is Resilience a Choice or a Trait?

""resilience originates from the Latin verb resilire 'to leap back' or 'rebound' and is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English in the following manner: resilience, where one is "'able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions'." Added to this Young (2014, p. 11), writes that "resilience refers to strengths under stress, in response to crisis, and forged through dealing with adversity"."

"Young (2014, p. 10) also contends that by experiencing and overcoming negative experiences, it is this ongoing personal action of working towards overcoming a negative situation is what helps "some individuals to emerge stronger out of adversity, with capacities that they may not have otherwise have developed." This seems to suggest that resilience may be fluid, that is, where negative emotions change to become positive thoughts and actions."

"According to Young (2014), this "fluid" consideration of resiliency is an internal ebb and flow condition in which an individual may react and/or choose to react in a positive (resilient) manner when challenging or adverse occurrences take place. However, what this "resilience fluidity" may also suggest is that this initial feeling and/or choice of resilience may not necessarily occur the next time one faces adversity. As such, resilience, even if it is fluid, as suggested, may not necessarily guarantee that"

Resilience originates from the Latin verb resilire 'to leap back' or 'rebound' and denotes the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. Resilience manifests as strengths under stress, in response to crisis, and is forged through dealing with adversity. Experiencing and overcoming negative events can enable some individuals to emerge stronger, developing capacities they might not otherwise have gained. Resilience can be fluid, an internal ebb-and-flow in which a person may choose or react resiliently at times but not necessarily consistently. Building resilience involves strategies to create, strengthen, and support resilience potential, including the role of significant others.

Read at Psychology Today