Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: The Real Truth About Resilience in Life’s Transitions
By Anna D. Banks
There’s a Japanese proverb that captures the essence of resilience in just a few words:
“Fall seven times, but stand up eight.”
It sounds simple. But if you’ve ever navigated a major life transition—whether in your career, your personal life, or both—you know how hard it can be to rise again after a fall. Especially when it feels like the world is watching.
Transitions are messy. They're rarely convenient. And they often arrive uninvited: the layoff you didn’t see coming, the retirement that left you wondering what’s next, the promotion that suddenly made you feel like an imposter, or the business pivot that left you starting from scratch… again.
What Resilience Really Looks Like
Resilience isn't just about "bouncing back." It's about choosing to keep showing up when things feel uncertain or out of control. It's trusting that even if you've fallen—again—there’s still purpose in standing up.
In professional transitions, resilience is turning rejection into redirection. It’s rewriting your résumé and your narrative after a layoff. It’s deciding to launch something new after the old way no longer works. It’s facing ageism or industry shifts with boldness, not bitterness.
In personal transitions, resilience is redefining who you are beyond titles and timelines. It’s healing from loss, finding your voice again after caregiving, or rediscovering passion in a season that once felt like a dead end.
Standing Up Isn’t Always Pretty
The eighth time you rise might be slower. You might wobble. You might need help. But getting back up means you’re not done yet. It means there's still something in you worth fighting for, even if others don’t yet see it.
That’s why the image is powerful—because it acknowledges the fall and honors the decision to rise.
How to Build Resilience in Transition
Give Yourself Permission to Feel – Resilience doesn’t mean suppressing emotion. It means processing it, then proceeding with purpose.
Reconnect with Your ‘Why’ – When you remember what matters most, you’ll find the strength to keep going—even when it’s hard.
Surround Yourself with Encouragers – Community is the secret weapon of resilience. You were never meant to go it alone.
Set Micro Goals – Standing up might not mean running. It might mean taking one intentional step toward your future today.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re facing a career crossroads, reentering the workforce, launching a new chapter in midlife, or simply navigating uncertainty—you are not defined by the number of times you fall.
You are defined by the courage it takes to stand up.
And if you’ve fallen? Good. That means you were trying. That means you still care.
So rise again.
Because your next breakthrough may just be one more “stand up” away.
Ready to rise strong in your next chapter? Let’s talk about how coaching can help you move forward with purpose: annadbanks.com
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