Bending Without Breaking: Finding Strength in Setbacks

welcome to the blog: your health comes first by dr jasmin tzortzakakis malik Aug 16, 2025

Building Resilience

I used to think resilience meant keeping going no matter what, pushing through exhaustion, showing up, holding it all together.
But that version of resilience left me depleted.
It took illness, setbacks, and a long recovery to realise that real resilience isn’t about gritting your teeth. It’s about adapting with compassion, finding steadiness when life wobbles, and allowing yourself to bend without breaking.

When Life Knocks You Off Course

Setbacks happen — an illness flare, a project collapsing, a plan falling apart. In those moments, it’s easy to slip into self-criticism: “Why can’t I just cope?”
But often, what looks like “falling behind” is actually your body or mind asking for a pause. Just like a muscle needs rest after exertion, our whole system needs recovery after challenge.

Instead of seeing setbacks as failure, try asking:

What is this moment teaching me?
What support do I need right now?
What is still possible, even if it looks different to what I planned?

Staying Motivated Without Burning Out

Motivation comes in waves. Some days you’ll feel unstoppable; others, even brushing your teeth feels like a mountain.
That doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human.
The key is learning to ride those waves without shame:

Anchor yourself to your deeper why, the bigger reason you care.
Celebrate the tiniest steps. A five-minute walk is still movement; one nourishing meal is still care.
Lean on connection. We aren’t meant to do this alone.

Adapting to the Unexpected

True resilience is flexible. It asks: How can I meet life as it is, not just as I wish it to be?
That might look like:

Resting on low-energy days instead of forcing productivity.
Redefining goals so they feel achievable, not punishing.
Allowing help in, even if you’re used to being the helper.

Why This Matters

When we respond to challenge with compassion instead of criticism, our nervous system feels safer. We move out of survival mode and into recovery, which allows healing, creativity, and growth.

Resilience isn’t about bouncing back to who you were before. It’s about slowly shaping who you’re becoming, wiser, softer, and more aligned with what you really need.

Bringing It Into Practice

This month, notice how you respond to the unexpected. Where can you soften? Where can you reframe? Where can you give yourself more credit for your persistence?

Resilience isn’t about avoiding difficulty. It’s about meeting life as it comes — with compassion, curiosity, and a steady belief that you can keep moving forward.

✨ Your Health Comes First is all about helping you build these foundations: practical tools, kind strategies, and space to recover before stress becomes burnout. If you’d like to explore more, sign up to receive news about upcoming courses and resources [Home]
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