What is resilience and how can it help us in our everyday lives? In this interview with Brigadier General, Dr. Rhonda Cornum, we will learn that resilience can be taught, learned and even mastered.
After surviving a helicopter crash while on a rescue mission during the first Iraq war and then being taken prisoner, Dr. Cornum is well-acquainted with the sharp edge of hardship, but as you will learn, she is also adamant about emphasizing the lessons learned through struggle rather than being defined by her struggle alone.
When General Cornum returned back to the States after being rescued, people were often confused when she would explain that instead of experiencing PTSD, she felt stronger because of her experience. Instead of blindly accepting the limiting labels that trauma survivors are often given, she focused on re-claiming the agency over what she could control.
Before she retired from the military, Dr. Cornum developed a Resilience Curriculum which she designed to help boost resilience in the troops. This curriculum is for everyone and can be found in “Bouncing Forward,” by Dr. Michaela Haas. Dr. Cornum currently teaches and consults with TechWerks and has become a resilience specialist for all.
Dr. Cornum’s story is a reminder that the human spirit is capable of surmounting unimaginable challenges, and that if anything, living through a near-death situation only makes life that much more precious and cherished. We hope you’ll join us for this week’s episode to hear how Rhonda’s story shows us that:
- Claiming agency over what you can control is a crucial component of resilience
- Experiencing an optimal amount of disappointment and frustration is integral to personal growth
- You can never measure someone else’s difficulty against your own, because everyone’s challenges are real and substantial to them
- Rehearsing the most likely potential outcomes can help you be proactive in recognizing the hidden opportunity in challenges
Show Notes
- She Went to War: Read more about Rhonda’s story
- TechWerks: Learn more about Rhonda’s current work