If you’ve gotten through these 5 life challenges, you’re probably more resilient than 95% of people

Resilience is one of those qualities you don’t really notice until life tests you.

It’s not about how calm you are when things are going well. It’s about whether you can stand back up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward when life has knocked you flat.

In my years as a relationship expert, I’ve seen firsthand that the people who seem the strongest aren’t necessarily the ones with the easiest lives. They’re the ones who’ve faced pain, loss, or failure—and kept going anyway.

If you’ve gone through the following five challenges, chances are you’ve developed a depth of resilience many people have not yet had to tap into.

1. You’ve hit rock bottom and found your way back

There’s a certain kind of strength that only comes from losing everything you thought you needed.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling once said, “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life”. I’ve always loved this quote because it captures the paradox of hitting your lowest point—it can either crush you or set the stage for an entirely new chapter.

Maybe for you it was a divorce, a business collapse, or a personal loss that left you questioning who you were without those things.

When I’ve worked with people in these situations, I’ve noticed something: the people who eventually rise again often become clearer about their values and priorities. They learn what really matters—and what doesn’t.

If you’ve been there, you know how terrifying and humbling rock bottom feels. But you also know the surprising gift it brings: once you’ve survived the worst, you stop fearing failure in the same way. 

2. You’ve overcome a major health crisis

Few things test your spirit like being forced to confront your body’s limits.

Writer and poet Kahlil Gibran put it beautifully: “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”.

Surviving a serious illness or recovering from an accident changes you in ways people who’ve never faced it can’t fully understand. It requires patience, courage, and the willingness to endure both physical and emotional pain.

3. You’ve rebuilt after financial ruin

Money may not buy happiness, but losing it all sure can feel like losing your safety, dignity, and control over your life.

Here’s a story I love to share. Ray Dalio, one of the most successful investors of our time, went broke in his thirties after a wrong market call. He lost everything, even borrowing $4,000 from his dad to pay bills. But instead of giving up, he used that failure as a turning point—and went on to become a billionaire.

I’ve spoken to people who’ve faced bankruptcy, job loss, or crushing debt. The shame and fear that come with financial collapse can be overwhelming. But here’s what’s remarkable: those who pick themselves up, learn from the mistakes, and slowly rebuild their financial footing tend to become more resourceful, humble, and careful with their choices.

It’s not the loss that defines you—it’s what you do afterward. And if you’ve rebuilt from scratch, you’ve cultivated a resilience few people ever will.

4. You’ve kept going after years of rejection

Rejection cuts deep. Whether it’s job applications, creative pursuits, or relationships, being told “no” again and again can wear you down.

Take J.K. Rowling , for example. She was rejected by 12 publishers before one finally took a chance on Harry Potter. Imagine if she’d stopped after the fifth or tenth “no.”

I’ve seen rejection push people to the brink of giving up on dreams or doubting their worth. But those who keep going develop an incredible kind of persistence—the ability to separate their value as a person from the outcomes they can’t control.

If you’ve lived through repeated rejection and kept showing up, you’ve built the rare quality of grit. And grit, more than talent or luck, is what carries people through to eventual success.

5. You’ve healed from heartbreak and loss

We don’t always think of heartbreak as a “challenge” in the same way illness or financial collapse are. But I would argue it’s one of the hardest experiences to endure.

Losing someone you love—whether through death, divorce, or a relationship ending—shakes the very core of your identity. It forces you to redefine what life looks like without them.

If you’ve walked through grief or heartbreak and found a way to keep living fully, you’ve proven just how unbreakable your spirit really is.

Final thoughts

Here’s the thing about resilience: you can’t measure it by looking at someone’s life from the outside. Two people can go through the same situation and one might crumble while the other grows stronger.

If you’ve survived rock bottom, fought through health struggles, rebuilt financially, kept moving after rejection, or healed from heartbreak, then you’ve developed inner reserves that most people never touch.

And the best part? Resilience is not just about survival—it’s about transformation. Each time you face down one of these challenges, you don’t just get tougher; you get wiser, more compassionate, and more connected to your own strength.

So if you’ve lived through any of these experiences, take a moment to honor yourself. You’ve proven that whatever life throws at you, you have what it takes to rise again