Parents this is a story you're going to want to share with your middle schoolers. In searching for inspiration on the topic of resilience I came across this jaw dropping story. Sure I had heard of this person, but I had no idea what they had gone through and it made me so inspired by their accomplishments. See if you can guess who I'm talking about. 

 

She was born in England and was severely bullied in school for many years. Bullying that was, in her words, soul-destroying. Because of this she suffered from anxiety and panic attacks and it got so bad she eventually had to move to Florida. Then, at 12 years old she got the acting job of her life. Do you know who it is yet? 

 

That life changing acting job was for one of the star roles of the popular Netflix show Stranger Things. Yep, it's Millie Bobby Brown! And that isn't the last amazing thing of her story. Today, she's the youngest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (at only 16 years old) and is an activist against bullying. 

 

Here is why I was so inspired by her story: Millie Bobbie Brown turned her pain into an opportunity to build resilience and grow and she did this as an adolescent! She took the hardest thing she had ever gone through and used it as momentum for a life of compassion, joy and connection. She still deals with high anxiety, so it isn't over for her yet, but just at the young age of 12 she was able to use her discomfort as a tool. It is never too late and you are never too young to learn this skill. 

 

The key to turning pain into resilience is to not let the painful thing define you. When you let it become your life or who you are then you are giving away your strength. You are not your circumstance, you are not your thoughts. Things will always be changing (the biggest thing right now being your kid) and resilience is what gets us through. 

 

A person does not need to have extraordinary abilities to build resilience. In a publication from the Melissa Institute, they describe resilience as developing from "the everyday magic of ordinary circumstance". In other words, you can access resilience by practicing healthy coping skills, by prioritizing the state of your heart, body and mind, by following the next best feeling thought and by using your discomfort as a tool. 

 

Are you going through discomfort right now (likely)? Have you experienced pain or big challenges in the last year (who hasn't)? 

 

 

Use it to give yourself compassion. Use it to motivate you. Use it to grow from. 

How can you take that pain and challenge to make yourself and the world better?

In big and small moments, this is how you build resilience.

 

And when your middle schooler practices this skill, they will feel like they have the armor and the empathy to rise above the challenge of middle school. Please share this story with them! 

 

And you can always watch the video (on repeat maybe) for some Monday Motivation.