We often glorify resilience. Push through. Adapt. Keep Going. But what happens when resilience turns into chronic survival mode where people are praised for enduring rather than thriving?

From economic hardships to personal struggles, many carry invisible battles beneath their outward success. The unspoken expectation to “keep pushing” often leads to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and disconnection.

Consider the employee who absorbs ever-increasing workloads while colleagues drop away. They’re considered a “rockstar” until they quietly unravel.

Resilience isn’t supposed to be a life sentence, it’s meant to be a bridge. What if thriving meant caring for yourself on purpose, instead of just toughing it out?

• A frontline healthcare worker who steps back for a sabbatical, not in failure, but as an act of preservation.

• A teacher who declines after-hours expectations to protect their creativity and connection with students.

• A leader who normalizes rest and reevaluation, not just relentless pace.

When we pause, reflect, and choose sustainability over sacrifice, we redefine strength.

From Reflection to Action:

• Are we calling for resilience where reform is overdue? If a team is constantly “pivoting” to cover resource gaps, is the solution more resilience or smarter systems?

• How do we reclaim energy from survival mode? Small interventions matter. Reclaim your lunch break. Cancel nonessential meetings. Celebrate boundaries as brave, not selfish.

• Which stories around struggle need rewriting? Maybe “she never gave up” becomes “she chose a different path, and flourished.”