Learn key takeaways on building resilience from Carrie Hill’s inspiring session at the UVU Women in Business Impact Lab. Discover how embracing challenges, soft skills, and a growth mindset can lead to career success.
Resilience is more than just bouncing back—it’s about adapting, growing, and using challenges as steppingstones to success. At the UVU Women in Business Impact Lab’s Impact DEN event on March 19, Carrie Hill delivered an inspiring session on embracing resilience in both personal and professional life. Her journey to securing her dream job in the capital was nothing short of remarkable—she persevered through obstacles, even relying on the kindness of a bus driver for transportation for three months. Her story is a testament to the power of focusing on the “YES” in life and embracing unexpected detours along the way.
As Mel Robbins puts it, “The thing you are going through is not who you are.” Your challenges do not define you—your strengths, values, and actions do. Carrie encouraged attendees to recognize their core strengths and focus on the qualities that will carry them through difficult times. By shifting focus from hardships to growth opportunities, individuals can cultivate a resilient mindset that propels them forward.
One of the most impactful takeaways was letting go of resistance. Carrie emphasized that pushing back against life’s challenges only leads to frustration and energy loss. Instead, she encouraged attendees to lean into their challenges, extract lessons from them, and view setbacks as opportunities for growth. The ability to accept and adapt is a crucial component of building resilience.
Carrie introduced her framework for resilience, focusing on understanding resilience, strategies for embracing detours, and real-life examples of career resilience. She also referenced the American Psychological Association’s definition of resilience—the ability to adapt to life’s challenges through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Research shows that resilience can be cultivated through mindset, social support, and coping strategies, allowing individuals to navigate challenges with greater ease.
In today’s fast-changing workforce, soft skills are just as important as technical expertise. Carrie highlighted the Future of Jobs Report, which states that two-fifths of today’s skill sets will be outdated by 2030, requiring significant upskilling. Key soft skills that build resilience include communication, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, leadership, collaboration, time management, and organization. These skills not only enhance professional growth but also provide the adaptability needed to thrive in uncertain environments.
Carrie’s session left the audience with a powerful question: “What happens when you turn pain into purpose?” The answer is “Energy, motivation, and transformation”. Instead of resisting breakdowns, she encouraged embracing them as breakthroughs. By reframing challenges as opportunities for learning, individuals can harness their experiences to create positive change in their lives and careers.
Carrie’s CHILL approach provides a structured way to develop resilience:
Carrie left attendees with an empowering message: “One year from now, I want to look back and say, ‘You believed in yourself, and it worked.’” By embracing resilience, soft skills, and a growth mindset, we can navigate uncertainty, overcome setbacks, and build meaningful careers. I am so grateful to have attended this event. I learned how to embrace my challenges and turn them into motivation and energy instead of resisting them.
