The Dark Side of Resilience

They taught us to push. Through, past, against, resistance. To become a force pressing forward energetically, continuously, vigorously, and obtrusively to obtain an expected end. They encouraged, nay demanded that we generate movement and productivity, changing direction where necessary to circumvent opposition. After all, they were describing resilience.

But what happens to the object generating that force? Imagine the amount of tension that must be sustained to maintain continuous propulsion. How much pressure is absorbed by contact or friction with other fixed objects programmed to apply equal and opposite force with targeted intention?

This is the dark side of resilience. When the reverberations of commendations cease, only the strain remains. They taught us to push past our own boundaries of self-care...and then they walked away.

They, the ubiquitous sociocultural archetypes upon which we have based our psychological framework for all things successful and righteous. They, the ones we love, and the ones we love to hate. They, the earlier versions of ourselves. They neglected to teach us restraint in resilience; the fine line between stoicism and dissociation. Thankfully, awareness is the first step to reversing this fallacy.

Walk with me into the light. Don't allow ANYONE (self included) to use your resilience against you. Push. Back.