We often describe resilience as the ability to bounce back, to return to where we were before disappointment, failure, or adversity interrupted our plans.

But what if that isn't the goal?

In a thoughtful reflection on resilience, renowned surgeon and academic leader Dr. Julie Freischlag offers a different perspective. Rather than "bouncing back," she encourages us to think about bouncing up. She points to the Latin phrase Per ardua surgo, which translates "I rise through adversity."

I find that distinction both hopeful and practical.

Adversity changes us. There is no returning to exactly who we were before. The real question is whether we allow difficult experiences to diminish us or to develop us.