Resilience Starts Here: Leaning Into the Strengths You Already Have
Positive psychology teaches us to start with what’s strong. Here’s how one strength changed everything for me.
I was listening to Florence Williams on We Can Do Hard Things the other day, and something she said stopped me in my tracks:
"The trick to resilience is cultivating awe and appreciating beauty."
It struck me because when I first did my VIA Strengths Assessment in 2011, “Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence” showed up as one of my top strengths. I remember feeling puzzled. How could noticing beauty be a strength? It felt… soft, almost passive.
And I didn’t get it.
I even brought it to my small group—the Wholesome Owls, we called ourselves—and asked, “What does this really mean? How does it show up as strength?”
We tossed around ideas, but nothing quite clicked. Sure, I could list the ways I admired beauty: scanning Pinterest boards of gorgeous interior designs, watching the golden light of sunset, hearing my kids’ laughter.
But how did that make me stronger?
When Beauty Became a Lifeline
It wasn’t until I heard Florence speak about resilience through the lens of heartbreak that the pieces fell into place.
Beauty inspires awe. And awe has the power to pull us out of ourselves.
It reminds you: There’s still wonder here. You’re still part of something—bigger, connective, magical even.
Appreciation of beauty isn’t passive after all. It’s an active form of hope.
That’s when it clicked. Positive psychology—the approach the VIA is built on—isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about leaning into what’s already strong.
So when life feels hard, I know what works for me: a walk in the park.
The sunlight filtering through the leaves.
The hush of wind through the trees.
The world reminding me: there’s still wonder here. I’m still part of it.
A Map for Resilience
That realization made me think about the VIA Strengths Assessment again—not just as a self-discovery tool but as a map for resilience.
The VIA identifies 24 character strengths, like kindness, creativity, humor, and love of learning. We all have them—just in different orders, shaped by how we move through the world.
I’ve seen the power of this tool—not just for myself, but in small, meaningful moments with my staff.
We took the assessment during a retreat, and one simple exercise stood out: Strength Spotting.
Each person named a strength they saw in someone else, tied to a specific moment they’d witnessed. It was less about the results themselves and more about what they revealed—how often we overlook the qualities that quietly shape who we are.
Hearing someone say, “I see your perseverance in how you never let a project stall,” or “Your kindness shows up when you make sure everyone feels included,” was eye-opening.
It wasn’t just self-awareness—it was connection.
We saw how our strengths complemented and amplified one another, like puzzle pieces fitting together.
Leaning Into What Already Works
The real gift of the VIA, though, is this:
When life feels overwhelming, you don’t need to build something new.
You can lean into the strengths you already have.
✨ If perseverance is one of your top strengths, you know how to keep going when the path is unclear.
✨ If kindness leads for you, it can soften the edges of a hard conversation.
✨ If gratitude shows up, it can anchor you when everything feels shaky.
For me, appreciation of beauty has become a quiet lifeline—
A reminder that resilience doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as noticing the light filtering through the trees.
Want to Know Your Strengths?
Want to know what strengths are quietly holding you up?
The VIA Assessment is like a mirror, showing you what’s already working in your life. It’s free, quick, and often surprising.
👉 Take the VIA Strengths Assessment here.
And here’s the best part: When you know your strengths, you can actually use them.
In a couple of days, I’ll be sharing a guided meditation to help you tap into your strengths—like sitting down with your own inner teacher.
Until then, I’d love to know—what strengths are showing up for you these days?
What’s keeping you grounded, steady, maybe even hopeful?