The Art of Resilience: 100 Paths to Wisdom and Strength in an Uncertain World

Psychological resilience is usually described as our capacity to cope with stress and adversity. There is a robust research literature and countless worthwhile programs for enhancing resilience.Carol Osborn uses the term resilience in a slightly different way. For her, resilience is the acceptance and transcendence of painful experiences rather than denying them. I very much like this approach as a complement to more conventional resilience enhancement programs. The book contains one hundred ideas and suggestions, culminating in number 100: "Make your life a work of art."As I was reading the book I was reminded of the quotation attributed to the Scottish Presbyterian Minister, Robert Leighton: "Adversity is the diamond dust with which Heaven polishes its jewels." This whole book is packed with diamond dust. Whether or not you or a loved one is facing adversity, I highly recommend this book of sage advice and wise insights. Even if you are sailing on a calm sea, adversity is usually an unavoidable part of life, so being prepared and shifting your perspective ahead of time is a thoroughly good idea. This is a terrific book for doing just that.

There are a lot of books out there, which deal with painful aspects of existence and how to cope with them, but after reading many of them I was somewhat disappointed, as they were not really as helpful as one would expect.This book on the other hand is surprisingly different! It is deep and honest and while it does not try to sugarcoat over things, it is at the same time surprisingly uplifting, compassionate and packed with short yet useful advice on how to survive, cope and ultimately thrive again.In comparison to another book of a more popular Buddhist teacher ("When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times"), this book did not leave me deflated when I finished with it. When down in the dumps and sinking further, you do not need to be reminded any further of the painful realities of life which When Things Apart is about -- you need a ring buoy!This book was a ring buoy for me and so very helpful that I've been buying extra copies and handing them out to friends, each time one of them finds themselves in deep crisis.I would also recommend "Healing Through the Dark Emotions: The Wisdom of Grief, Fear, and Despair" by Miriam Greenspan and "The Language of Emotions" by Karla McLaren. Contrary to my comment above, let me add that "When Things Fall Apart" is quite good too, but you have to be "ashore" and in a good mental place to really get the most out of it.

This wasn't quite as inspirational or uplifting as I thought or hoped it would be. I didn't walk away from reading it with a greater sense of being resilient or how to become more relilient. A few of the chapters were meaningful, but overall not too many, for me at least.

If you don't know which way to turn, this book doesn't have the answer, but it does have the means of helping you focus, reflect, and believe.

Often times I find myself looking at the dark side of things and begin believing that it is the truth about my situation. This book is a great read to get yourself out of your funk and see the brighter side of the stuff you are going through. I fall asleep pretty fast after hitting the pillows so I am glad that the reads are short but get the message across.

Great read

Anyone who delights in short essays that inspire you to greatness, will enjoy this book. It is witty, profoundly smart with words that will change your attitude.

I have always been intrigued by the Law of Requisite Variety, which to me has this explicit meaning: in order to deal with a contantly changing world, our internal rate of change should equal or better than the external rate of change.The Art of Resilience is just one of those books which I have come cross that offers readers simple tools to build & enhance the internal rate of change.The author, a theologian by training, has beautifully crafted her book by creating one hundred different pathways to help readers find the wisdom & strength to rebound gracefully & productively against the forces of change in an uncertain world.Her work is seemingly inspired by the teachings of spiritual masters from both Eastern & Western traditions. Each of her practical tip is weaved into humourous stories & touching anecdotes, encased in either a one- or two-page format. They are then logically arranged for readers to go through ten stages as follows:Stage 1: Point of Impact;Stage 2: Time to Regroup;Stage 3: Signs of Spring;Stage 4: The Authentic Life;Stage 5: Unfinished Business;Stage 6: Uncharted Territory;Stage 7: Sacred Space;Stage 8: A New Centre;Stage 9: Higher-Quality Problems;Stage 10: Beyond Resilience;I have enjoyed reading this book & have found some of the stories/anecdotes to be humourous, while some are relatively thought provoking. From my personal perspective, I reckon a number of pathways may seem esoteric to some extent, but I believe pathway #100 entitled "Make Your Life a Work of Art" rightly sums up the whole book. In the author's own words: "...The art of resilience does not conclude with a specific result. Rather, it asks something much greater of you: that you make your whole life a work of art. The uncertainties of life, the pain & problems, let them become woven into the fabric of your being - alongside the joys & the triumphs."To conclude my review, I would recommend this book to all readers who feel overwhelmed by the forces of change: Read it today. You won't be disappointed, but be prepared to be surprised.