Have you ever wondered what it is that enables some people to endure extreme adversity, and then be able bounce back from it? World-renowned author, speaker, and professor, Dr. Glenn Schiraldi, calls that special ingredient "resilience." The recent movie Unbroken about WWII veteran and Japanese prison camp survivor Louis Zamperini gives us a glimpse of what that resilience looks like. Dr. Schiraldi interviewed Mr. Zamperini a few years ago, along with a number of other WWII veterans and holocaust survivors and has written about much of what he has learned in a number of different books.

Photo of Louis Zamperini. "When he thought of his history, what resonated with him now was not all that he had suffered but the divine love that he believed had intervened to save him." ― Laura Hillenbrand

In his recent book, The Resilient Warrior, Dr. Schirali writes, "Resilience is those strengths of mind and character—both inborn and developed—that help us to respond well to adversity. The strengths of resilience help us to:

• Perform at our very best, even under pressure • Prevent and recover from combat stress-related problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, problem anger, drug/substance abuse, and difficulty connecting with others • Maintain and improve peak mental fitness throughout life." He is the author of 12 books on stress-related topics that include: The Complete Guide to Resilience; The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook; and World War II Survivors: Lessons in Resilience. Recently I had the privilege to attend several of his lectures on the topic of resilience. He was kind enough to sit down and share his time in the following interview. You can learn more about Dr. Schiraldi's work and books at: www.resiliencefirst.com.