Let's Chat About...Resilience

Last Friday I attended a Women's Resilience Conference in Walker, MN hosted by the GFWC Nevis Area Women's Club (General Federation of Women's Clubs). It was very informational including 4 amazing speakers:
Mariah Prussia
Dr. Emily Sargent
Maggie Nichols
Amy Dee
When taking a deep dive into the subject of Resilience, we must first understand it's meaning.
Definition of Resilience:
The capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties.
The ability to bounce back after adversity
In reality, Resilience may mean different things to different people. And it shows up in many diverse faucets of life, such as: Mental Health, Psychological, Biological and Children.

The 1st Speaker we heard was Mariah Prussia. She is a Self-Defense Expert, Personal Trainer and Motivational Speaker and her Mantra is "Define the Fight" which is fitting because she was once a professional MMA fighter.
Now she focuses on what's important in her life and what is worth fighting for, and she encourages and inspires others to do the same.
Miriah has encountered challenges and setbacks in her life including domestic abuse. She is resilient and has come back from this to become a stronger person and focus on what fight in life she really wants to tackle.
Now she is committed to being a good mother & role model first, along with empowering women through self-defense instruction. She also continues to be a professional fitness trainer & mindset coach.

The key takeaways I gained from Mariah Prussia's Speech were:
Life is like an automobile. If you are not moving forward, you are standing still. Sometimes you have to put it in neutral to assess the road ahead. Sometimes you have to stop for fuel. And sometimes you even go in reverse or hit a bump in the road, but these things help to be resilient on your journey ahead.
Strength isn’t necessarily something that you are born with. Strength is something that you develop from the stories and challenges that you face in your life.
What is your opponent? What is your plan of attack? Choose your battles carefully, fight what you can and let go of what you can't.
For more information about Mariah Prussia and her mission, visit her website below:

The 2nd Speaker of the day was Dr. Emily Sargent. She is a Doctor and Specialist in traumatic stress at Sanford Health in Grand Forks, ND.
She spoke on how she teaches resilience to individuals who have gone through traumatic experiences. She specializes in issues that address cultural diversity.
She shared how she has overcome adversity in her own life and become resilient through the support systems in her life.
Dr. Emily also spoke on topics such as Generational Resilience and how each generation builds a stronger foundation for the next generation to work off of.
The key takeaways I gained from Dr. Emily Sargent's Speech were:
Tools to gain resilience and overcome adversity:
Support Systems
Fait
Relationships
Determination
Learn to Listen without Judgement
Your Network is your Networth

The 3rd Speaker was Maggie Nichols, who is a former collegiate gymnastic who's success was cut just short of the Olympics due to physical injury.
She has overcome physical trauma as well as psychological trauma at the hands of her former coach Larry Nassar. She was the 1st of many to come forward and reveal the abuse.
Talk about resiliency, this young woman has been through so much in her life, yet she has chosen to rise above it and make a difference to others.
Maggie opened the Maggie Nichols Foundation in Norman Oklahoma; to advocate for victims of abuse and she is also a personal trainer and inspirational speaker.
She also wrote a book outlining her personal journey called: "Unstoppable: My Journey from World Champion to Athlete A to 8 Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond"
The key takeaways I gained from Maggie Nichols Speech were:
Embrace Resilience
Seek Support
Focus on Goals
Self-Care
Stay Positive
Advocate for Change
Learn From Failure
Be a Role Model
Seek Professional Help when Needed
Be Adaptive

Amy Dee was the 4th and final speaker of the day. I really enjoyed them all, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be her. Why you ask...because she made me laugh. She spoke about the power of humor and how it can be used as a tool in being resilient.
Amy's titles include:
Psychiatric RN
Entrepreneur
Motivational Speaker
A Resilience Thought Leader
She spoke through stories that we can all relate to and has a knack for holding the audience's attention. There was never a dull moment in Amy's speech!
The key takeaways I gained from Amy Dee's Speech were:
Change What You Can and Manage What You Can't.
You Represent You (you never know who's listening or how you influence others).
When You Change the Way You Look at Things, the Things You Look at Change.
For Every Plan Have a Backup Plan.
Your Thoughts Create Your Emotions and Your Emotions Create Your Actions.
Your Personal Power is Either Hindered or Helped by How You Choose to Interpret a Situation or Event.
It Isn't the Grand Jesters That Matter, Sometimes it's the Little Things.
Lean In & Listen
Amy Dee has written a number of self-help books including:
Fall In Love with You (F.L.Y.)
Your Destiny Is Paved With Choices (Seven Strategies to Choose Success Every Time)
Danielle’s Designer Den (A Delightful Story of Fierce Sisterhood)
Couples Under Construction (How to Strengthen Your Relationship While Your Build Your Dream Home)
For more information about Amy Dee and her Work, click on the link below:
Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC)! This organization has branches in all of the states and subbranches in many communities with the State. Their mission is to work to improve issues such as:
Arts
Natural Resources
Education
Health
Civic Involvement
Violence Awareness
Advocating for Children
Our local Chapter here in Warren, MN is referred to as GFWC Mawami Club. I am not a member yet but hope to be soon!
For more information about GFWC or if you want to join an organization in your area, click on the link below:
If you have any suggestions or input to share about Resilience or GFWC, please comment below.
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