How to build resilience as your superpower | Denise Mai | TEDxKerrisdaleWomen

Summary

The speaker recounts her journey of building resilience from a young age, inspired by her mother's refugee experience and her stepdad's hard work. Despite growing up in poverty, she learned to be grateful and independent, working from a young age. Her resilience was further tested and strengthened through challenges, including a real estate contest that she won, leading to a successful career as a top realtor. She emphasizes that resilience is a skill that can be developed and encourages others to change their perspective, choose their response to adversity, and find purpose to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams.

Takeaways

• 🏠 The speaker's childhood was marked by fear and uncertainty, which helped develop her resilience.
• 💪 Resilience is defined as the ability to recover from adversity and maintain calm in challenging situations.
• 🚢 The speaker's mother's experience as a refugee from Vietnam exemplifies resilience through extreme hardship.
• 🙏 Gratitude is a lesson learned from poverty, appreciating every aspect of life and never taking anything for granted.
• 👨‍👧 The speaker's stepfather instilled in her a strong work ethic and unconditional love, contributing to her resilience.
• 👧💼 Starting work at a young age taught the speaker independence, the value of money, and responsibility.
• 💼 The speaker's experience in the corporate world led her to realize her true calling as an entrepreneur.
• 🏆 Winning a contest in real estate sales boosted the speaker's confidence and validated her sales abilities.
• 🔑 Building resilience involves changing one's perspective to see opportunities instead of obstacles.
• 🛡 Choosing a calm and logical response to difficulties can lead to better outcomes and is a sign of resilience.
• 🎯 Finding a sense of purpose can be a powerful motivator for resilience, especially when faced with hardships.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's story?

The main theme of the speaker's story is building resilience through facing fears and overcoming adversities.

How did the speaker's early childhood experiences contribute to her resilience?

The speaker's early childhood experiences, such as being left alone at home and growing up in challenging conditions, taught her to face her fears and build confidence, which contributed to her resilience.

What does the speaker believe resilience to be?

The speaker believes resilience is the capacity to recover from adversity, bounce back from challenging situations, and maintain calm, clarity, and stability during stressful times.

Can you describe the speaker's mother's journey as a refugee?

The speaker's mother was a refugee from Vietnam who risked her life to escape the country on a boat with her younger sister. They faced numerous challenges, including being raided by pirates twice and being stranded for four days. Tragically, her sister died, but the speaker's mother survived and eventually reached Canada.

How did the speaker's upbringing in Chinatown influence her life perspective?

Growing up in Chinatown, the speaker learned to be grateful for everything she had, appreciate the value of simple things in life, and never take anything for granted due to her family's experiences with poverty and hardship.

What was the speaker's first job and how did it impact her?

The speaker's first job was making sandwiches on a conveyor belt at the age of ten. The experience of earning money for the first time instilled in her a desire for independence and a strong work ethic.

How did the speaker's father influence her work ethic and resilience?

The speaker's father worked six days a week, 12 hours a day at a minimum wage job to provide for the family. His resilience and hard work instilled in her a strong work ethic and a deep-rooted resilience.

What was the turning point for the speaker in her career as a realtor?

The turning point for the speaker in her career as a realtor was winning a contest selling ad space to a newsletter, which boosted her confidence and led her to believe in her ability to sell and succeed in the real estate industry.

What are the three ways the speaker suggests to build resilience?

The three ways to build resilience suggested by the speaker are: 1) Change your perspective and see opportunities in obstacles, 2) Choose your response in times of difficulty by remaining calm and finding solutions, and 3) Find a sense of purpose that drives you to overcome hardships.

How did the speaker's friend bailing on her before a contest impact her life?

The speaker's friend bailing on her before a contest initially filled her with doubts and insecurities, but it ultimately provided her with a learning opportunity to face her fears and conquer her doubts, leading to her success in the contest and boosting her confidence.

What is the speaker's message to the audience regarding resilience and achieving dreams?

The speaker's message is to encourage the audience to build resilience within themselves, to not waste time, and to take action towards their dreams, as resilience can help them overcome adversity and achieve their goals.