One reason I wrote The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything) is to show girls how resilient they naturally are. To learn to recognize their coping powers and their abilities to overcome obstacles and have fun in the process, by identifying with the girl in the book. As she says on page 19: “I know a million ways to have fun. I better know they because I feel so rotten when I’m picked last for kickball…”
The Girl is a great example of the capacities of the human spirit to learn to make the most of circumstances. I’m pleased to have an expert in the field of resiliency to talk with us also on the topic.
Dr. Sandra Prince Embury, nationally know expert on resiliency has this to say about resiliency:
“The definition of resiliency is the qualities in the child, teenager or adult that allow them to face adversities and social pressures in a way that they can recover from, ride through, maintain functioning, and in some cases, grow, and function even better. And what I consider the underpinnings of resiliency are basically core aspects of development.
The reason that I’m focusing on that right now, especially in children and adolescents, is that in society, we have had to face a lot of adversity, perhaps more adversity than in the past, and there is more of a focus on preparing our youth for adversity. Of course, women are a special group in that there are special forces on girls and women that need to be dealt with.
But basically, it’s about surviving and dealing with adversity and maintaining your functioning and growing, even in the face of adversity.”
You can follow Dr. Sandra Prince- Embury by looking for her name in my podcast archives housed on www.enchantedself.com. She has often been my guest on my two recent radio shows: Happiness for Women Only and Kids, Tweens and Teens, a Positive Psychologist looks at all Three.
