A resiliency myth Published May 8, 2012 By Lt. Col. Timothy Sturgill 436th Airlift Wing chaplain DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Usually, when I think of resiliency, I think of the ability to bounce back from diversity. I view it in terms of getting stronger; of exercising all the components of wellness; of making sure that my emotional, social, physical, and spiritual self is robust and vibrant. Research is straight forward in proving that resilient people are healthy across the spectrum and continuum of life. However, several definitions of resiliency describe it as snapping back quickly to the original form, or regaining our prior position or status. The definitions speak in terms of elasticity, of the ability to spring back quickly into shape after being bent, stretched, or deformed. Notice the focus on speedy and quick recovery, plus a return to original form. To recover quickly to our original form is the ideal, but oftentimes I believe this is a myth that actually hinders our quest for being truly resilient. I prefer the following definition by Edith Grothberg, a psychologist, who defines resiliency as "the human capacity to deal with, overcome, learn from, or even be transformed by the inevitable adversities of life." Notice she did not say anything about a quick return to normalcy, but rather stated resiliency is first of all our ability to deal with what comes our way, then to be able to learn from adversity, and finally to even be transformed, or changed, by what comes our way. Nowhere does she suggest it is a quick, snap-back process. I believe it is a myth of resiliency to expect us to quickly return to the old normal, and we do ourselves, and everyone around us, a great disservice if we believe that is what resiliency is all about. Transformation, or change, must be part of our resiliency thinking and formula. Sometimes we must allow the event to transform us--meaning, rather than trying to recapture our original state, we change to a different state. A state that is healthy, vibrant, growing, and happy, but one that does not, in some instances, even resemble the person we were before. The double amputee from an IED explosion will never quickly return to their previous normal state. But a philosophy of resiliency that allows for change and transformation will allow that person to live a healthy, vibrant, growing, and happy life within the bounds of a new and different normal. Resiliency is more than just bouncing back. Resiliency allows for change and transformation.