The 120+ Most Inspirational Quotes About Overcoming Adversity

Everyone goes through challenging chapters in life, but it can feel a bit better to know you’re not alone—and hear from others who’ve been through the same thing. Whether you’re looking for a motivational adversity quote to hype yourself up or a short quote to send to a friend who’s feeling down, we’ve put together a long list of inspiring passages and messages to help anyone through a time of adversity. Plus, we’ve included tips from life coaches and psychology experts on how to navigate challenging moments and events in your life

Top Adversity Quotes

“If the road is easy, you're likely going the wrong way.” – Terry Goodkind
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus
“You did anything to bury me, but you forgot that I was a seed.” – Dinos Christianopoulos
“Being human is not hard because you're doing it wrong, it's hard because you're doing it right.” – Glennon Doyle
“Someone I once loved gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.” – Mary Oliver
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” – Ambrose Redmoon

Section 1 of 9:

Short Quotes About Adversity

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Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. – Napoleon Hill
2

Never lose hope. Storms make people stronger and never last forever.

– Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

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3

Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.

– Edgar Allan Poe
4

If the road is easy, you're likely going the wrong way.

– Terry Goodkind
5

Sometimes things have to go wrong in order to go right.

– Sherrilyn Kenyon
6

Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.

– Lucius Annaeus Seneca ^{[1]
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7

Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.

– Joseph Conrad
8

You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.

– edwin louis cole
9

The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. That’s the essence of it.

– Vince Lombardi
10

Misfortunes make us wise.

– Mary Norton, The Borrowers Afield
11

When you think this pain is all you deserve, you are right. You are the only one that can decide how long you will walk in hell.

– Shannon L. Alder
12

Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat.

– Anais Nin
13

There is no education like adversity.

– Benjamin Disraeli
14

It's your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life's story will develop.

– Dieter F. Uchtdorf ^{[2]
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15

Life is very interesting…in the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.

– Drew Barrymore
16

Someone I once loved gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.

– Mary Oliver
What makes you different or weird, that's your strength. – Meryl Streep

Section 2 of 9:

Motivational Quotes About Adversity

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Remind thyself, in the darkest moments, that every failure is only a step toward success, every detection of what is false directs you toward what is true, every trial exhausts some tempting form of error, and every adversity will only hide, for a time, your path to peace and fulfillment. – Og Mandino
2

Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.

– Thomas S. Monson, Pathways to Perfection: Discourses of Thomas S. Monson
3

Being human is not hard because you're doing it wrong, it's hard because you're doing it right.

– Glennon Doyle, Untamed ^{[3]
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4

It is in the whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. It is through the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn.

– M. Scott Peck
5

No stars gleam as brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky. No water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand. And no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs through adversity. Tested faith brings experience. You would never have believed your own weakness had you not needed to pass through trials. And you would never have known God’s strength had His strength not been needed to carry you through.

– Charles H. Spurgeon
6

Once you embrace your value, talents and strengths, it neutralizes when others think less of you.

– Rob Liano
7

The pressure of adversity is the most powerful sustainer of accountability. It's as though everything you do is multiplied by 50 in order to surpass those with a head-start. I was never capable of slacking when at the threshold of failure.

– Criss Jami, Killosophy
8

Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.

– Roy Bennett
9

My voice was a bare rasp of fear. “In the weaving room, the women say it's never been this bad before..."

“They always say that when things get difficult,” she answered softly. Then she sat up suddenly as though coming fully awake. Reaching down, she took my chin in her hand and tipped my face to look up at hers. “Remember, Gwen, no matter who says what, the important thing is to understand what needs to be done, and then do it. No matter how hard it is, or how much pain you feel. It's as simple as that, really. Once you know what you have to do, you just do it.”

– Persia Woolley, Child of the Northern Spring
10

If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit.

– William J. Clinton
11

No difficulty can discourage, no obstacle dismay, no trouble dishearten the man who has acquired the art of being alive. Difficulties are but dares of fate, obstacles but hurdles to try his skill, troubles but bitter tonics to give him strength; and he rises higher and looms greater after each encounter with adversity.

– Ella Wheeler Wilcox
12

He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity.

– William Samuel Johnson
13

Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.

– Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
14

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

– Albert Camus ^{[4]
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Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. – Marie Curie

Section 3 of 9:

Quotes About Adversity and Growth

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And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.

– Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
2

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
3

Adversity is like a strong wind. I don't mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be.

– Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha
4

You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you.

– Mary Tyler Moore
5

Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong. My children will be strong that way.

– Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
6

Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.

– Robertson Davies
7

Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.

– Charles Caleb Colton
8

Adversity draws men together and produces beauty and harmony in life's relationships, just as the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the window-panes, which vanish with the warmth.

– Søren Kierkegaard
9

Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.

– Joseph B. Wirthlin
10

The journey is never ending. There's always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what's right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.

– Antonio Brown
11

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

– Khalil Gibran
12

Out of difficulties grow miracles.

– Jean de la Bruyère ^{[5]
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13

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.

– Booker T. Washington ^{[6]
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I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough.

– Marissa Mayer ^{[7]
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Section 4 of 9:

Quotes About Adversity and Resilience

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You did anything to bury me, but you forgot that I was a seed. – Dinos Christianopoulos
2

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

– Anne Bradstreet, The Works of Anne Bradstreet
3

But if everything was always smooth and perfect, you'd get too used to that, you know? You have to have a little bit of disorganization now and then. Otherwise, you'll never really enjoy it when things go right.

– Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever
4

Life is at its best when everything has fallen out of place, and you decide that you're going to fight to get them right, not when everything is going your way and everyone is praising you.

– Thisuri Wanniarachchi
5

You never really know what's coming. A small wave, or maybe a big one. All you can really do is hope that when it comes, you can surf over it, instead of drown in its monstrosity.

– Alysha Speer
6

There had been times when he knew, somewhere in him, that he would get used to it, whatever it was, because he had learnt that some hard things became softer after a very little while.

– Nick Hornby, About a Boy
7

We face up to awful things because we can't go around them, or forget them. The sooner you say 'Yes, it happened, and there's nothing I can do about it,' the sooner you can get on with your own life. You've got children to bring up. So you've got to get over it. What we have to get over, somehow we do. Even the worst things.

– Annie Proulx, The Shipping News
8

It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous – even death is terrible only if we fear it.

– Epictetus ^{[8]
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9

When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.

– Peter Marshall
10

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't.

– Thomas A. Edison
11

It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment.

– Bram Stoker, Dracula
12

We don't even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward.

– Isabel Allende
13

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'

– Eleanor Roosevelt
14

We are stronger, gentler, more resilient, and more beautiful than any of us imagine.

– Mark Nepo
15

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

– Nelson Mandela
16

There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.

– Charles Dickens ^{[9]
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17

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

– Dale Carnegie
18

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

– Friedrich Nietzsche
We will either find a way, or make one. – Hannibal Barca

Section 5 of 9:

Quotes About Adversity and Courage

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The eagle has no fear of adversity. We need to be like the eagle and have a fearless spirit of a conqueror! – Joyce Meyer
2

You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in.

– Mandy Hale, The Single Woman–Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass: Embracing Singleness with Confidence
3

Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't.

– Rikki Rogers
4

One of the greatest gifts my father gave me - unintentionally - was witnessing the courage with which he bore adversity. We had a bit of a rollercoaster life with some really challenging financial periods. He was always unshaken, completely tranquil, the same ebullient, laughing, jovial man.

– Ben Okri
5

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

– Ambrose Redmoon ^{[10]
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6

Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.

– Robert F. Kennedy
7

Courage isn't having the strength to go on, it is going on when you don't have the strength.

– Napoleon Bonaparte
8

We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.

– Eleanor Roosevelt
9

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.

– Audrey Hepburn
10

Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.

– Oprah Winfrey
11

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.

– Abraham Lincoln
12

Remember: Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.

– Rocky Balboa
13

And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.

– Paulo Coelho ^{[11]
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14

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

– Christopher Reeve
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Section 6 of 9:

Quotes About Adversity in Sports

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Baseball is a game based on adversity. It's a game that's going to test you repeatedly. It's going to find your weaknesses and vulnerabilities and force you to adjust. That adversity, in the big picture, is a really good thing because it shows you where your weaknesses are. It gives you the opportunity to improve. – Theo Epstein
2

If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.

– Michael Jordan
3

To succeed…You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.

– Tony Dorsett ^{[12]
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4

It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.

– Muhammad Ali ^{[13]
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5

Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.

– Dan Reeves
6

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.

– Vernon Law
7

If you can't accept losing, you can't win.

– Vince Lombardi
8

Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.

– George Herman “Babe” Ruth ^{[14]
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Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.

– Peter T. McIntyre ^{[15]
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10

Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.

– Alex Karras
11

My thoughts before a big race are usually pretty simple. I tell myself: Get out of the blocks, run your race, stay relaxed. If you run your race, you'll win...channel your energy. Focus.

– Carl Lewis
Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like muscles of the body. – Lynn Jennings

Section 7 of 9:

Bible Quotes About Adversity

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If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

– Proverbs 24:10 ^{[16]
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And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

– Romans 8:28
3

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

– James 1:2-4
4

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

– 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
5

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

– 1 Peter 5:10 ^{[17]
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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

– Romans 12:2
7

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

– Psalm 34:19
8

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

– Philippians 4:12-13 ^{[18]
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Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

– James 1:12
10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9
11

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

– 1 Corinthians 10:13
12

Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

– 2 Corinthians 1:4
13

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

– Isaiah 41:10
14

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 4:6-7
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. – 1 Peter 4:12-13

Section 8 of 9:

Quotes About Adversity From Famous People

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You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.

– Maya Angelou ^{[19]
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Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.

– Theodore Roosevelt
3

I think that little by little I'll be able to solve my problems and survive.

– Frida Kahlo
4

A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.

– Helen Keller
5

Great difficulties may be surmounted by patience and perseverance.

– Abigail Adams, The Quotable Abigail Adams
6

The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.

– Ulysses S. Grant
7

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

– Walt Disney ^{[20]
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You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages.

– Michelle Obama
9

The roughest roads often lead to the top.

– Christina Aguilera
10

There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.

– Washington Irving
11

Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.

– Nelson Mandela ^{[21]
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If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

– Martin Luther King, Jr.
13

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.

– Ernest Hemingway
14

You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.

– Bob Marley
15

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

– Marcus Aurelius
You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. – Margaret Thatcher

Section 9 of 9:

Expert Advice on Overcoming & Dealing with Adversity

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1
Let yourself feel your feelings and have self-compassion during this time. When you’re dealing with a difficult moment or situation, “allow yourself to feel it fully instead of trying to escape from it,” says life and career coach Annie Lin, MBA. “Breathe consciously through the physical and mental discomfort” and, if applicable, “take personal responsibility to see what your part was in [creating] this situation.” ^{[22]
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Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach

Expert Interview} However, while taking accountability or recognizing the factors that led to this moment, keep being kind and compassionate to yourself .
- “A lot of times,” says Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW, a certified AEDP psychotherapist and emotions educator, “what’s bothering people with the situation is not necessarily the situation, but that they’re beating themselves up over their emotions…the self-compassion tries to quickly get at the guilt and shame.” ^{[23]
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  Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW
  Certified AEDP Psychotherapist & Emotions Educator
  
  Expert Interview}
- “Self-compassion is a great way to deal with things about yourself and others that you can’t change,” adds developmental psychologist Leslie Bosch, PhD, “because having things we can’t change is part of our shared humanity.” ^{[24]
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  Leslie Bosch, PhD
  Developmental Psychologist
  
  Expert Interview}
- When you’re facing these moments, continues Dr. Bosch, “ask yourself, ‘How can I be kind to myself right now?’” ^{[25]
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  Leslie Bosch, PhD
  Developmental Psychologist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Clinical psychologist Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS, agrees that “accepting a traumatic event begins with recognizing that you have a right to safety and care. You must allow yourself to move beyond the event. If you feel as though you were the cause of the trauma, then you must forgive yourself.” ^{[26]
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  Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS
  Clinical Psychologist
  
  Expert Interview}
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Try to reframe adversity as an opportunity to learn and grow. “The way to accept challenges in life is to see them as learning opportunities and as potential moments for growth,” asserts licensed counselor and psychotherapist Ira Israel. ^{[27]
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Ira Israel
Licensed Counselor and Psychotherapist

Expert Interview} “Instead of focusing on what you can’t do,” adds licensed professional counselor William Schroeder, MA, LPC, NCC, “focus on the little steps that might help you in the short term.” ^{[28]
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William Schroeder, MA, LPC, NCC
Licensed Professional Counselor

Expert Interview}
- For instance, life coach Lucy Yeh shares examples of how to “get back in touch with your inner self, [like] trying new activities, meeting new people, and seeing new places.” ^{[29]
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  Lucy Yeh
  Life Coach
  
  Expert Interview}
- “Hardships are challenging for sure, but they’re also ripe opportunities to learn and grow,” adds Yeh. ^{[30]
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  Lucy Yeh
  Life Coach
  
  Expert Interview}
- Ultimately, continue to “remind yourself that you are resilient,” advises leadership and transformational coach Amy Wong. “All humans are resilient.” ^{[31]
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  Amy Wong
  Leadership & Transformational Coach
  
  Expert Interview}
EXPERT TIP

Taylor Rochestie
Professional Basketball Player
Taylor Rochestie is a Professional Basketball Player, Author, and Speaker. Having lived in 12 countries, immersing himself in local cultures and learning about the diversity of life, Taylor offers a unique perspective through his book, "A New 20/20 Vision: Cultivate Joy, Reprogram Your Mind, and Define Life Through an Authentic Lens." He also has over 11 years of professional basketball experience with the Israel Basketball Premier League and the Montenegro men's national basketball team.

Taylor Rochestie
Professional Basketball Player

Adversity gives us our best chance to inspire. Adversity gives us our best chance to define who we are. You can create a situation where adversity becomes your strength, and adversity becomes how you motivate and inspire other people.
3

Cultivate a support system of friends, family, and a professional counselor. “Look at ways that you can get support for whatever is causing these problems and the chaos,” instructs licensed clinical psychologist Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD. “What things can help to decrease the weight on you? How can you make this easier for yourself?” ^{[32]
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Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Expert Interview} Similarly, licensed marriage and family therapist Lia Huynh, LMFT, advises to “make sure that you have a lot of support so that you’re balancing out processing your feelings with distractions. Find a therapist who you can process with, and make sure that family and friends are accessible.” ^{[33]
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Expert Source

Lia Huynh, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Expert Interview}
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If someone else in your life is having a hard time, try to support them . If a loved one is the individual facing adversity, rather than yourself, “the best thing you can do is to offer your unconditional support and acceptance,” says Dr. Brown. ^{[34]
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Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS
Clinical Psychologist

Expert Interview} “Consider helping this individual to reframe their thoughts and perspectives on life, if you’re able.” ^{[35]
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Expert Source

Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS
Clinical Psychologist

Expert Interview}
- Life coach Michelle Shahbazyan, MS, MA, affirms this advice and shares that “the best thing you can do for someone who’s in an undesirable place in their mind, body, or life is to be strong and stable and to model the behavior and emotional expression that you, from a good place, how that they’d also have.” ^{[36]
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  Michelle Shahbazyan, MS, MA
  Life Coach
  
  Expert Interview}
- “Reassure them, remind them that it will be okay, and, if it’s not, give them some advice if they’re asking for it and open to it,” adds Shahbazyan. ^{[37]
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  Michelle Shahbazyan, MS, MA
  Life Coach
  
  Expert Interview}

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Are there any other quotes for overcoming adversity?

Heather Morrison
Public Speaking Coach and Broadcaster
Heather Morrison is a public speaking coach and broadcaster based in Saskatchewan, Canada. Heather is the president and founder of Deliver Your Best, working with clients around the world to help them overcome their fear and improve their public speaking. In 2025, she received the New Business of the Year award from Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan. Heather also has extensive experience as a radio host and sideline reporter, providing local and national coverage on platforms such as CBC, TSN and ESPNU. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting from the University of Saskatchewan and has worked as an actress, producer, playwright, and director for over a decade as well.

Heather Morrison

Public Speaking Coach and Broadcaster

Expert Answer

One that always comes to mind is from Henry Ford. He said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” That’s such a good one for adversity because it reminds you how much mindset plays a role in getting through tough times. When you believe in your ability to overcome, you’re already halfway there.

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