Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness Paperback – February 4, 2020

Unfortunately, I am not able to give a thorough review of this fantastic book at this time. In order to get my review in under the wire, I must post an incomplete response. That said, I cannot recommend this book, or the FoundationsOfWellBeing (dot com) (FWB) online training program (upon which it is based) more highly than 5 stars. Else I would have rated it 10+ of 10. Having participated in the 2017 cohort of FWB (after achieving amazing gains working with Dr. Hanson's "Hardwiring Happiness" (HH) book, I was eagerly awaiting the release of this book.Wow! What a knock-out, Hanson team! Way to go! Every sentence is packed full of multi-layered, multi-dimensional articulation of extremely complex and wide-ranging subjects, rendered down into very accessible, eminently practical, and down-to-earth instantly use-able information and exercises. I trust this is as true for the portions I have not yet read as it is for the ones I have, given Dr. Hanson's proven integrity and past masterworks. Kudos as well to Dr. Hanson (dad) for "walking his talk" by assisting the next generation to come into their own by co-authoring with his son, Forrest. And congratulations to Forrest for coming more fully into his own adult power in the world, clearly contributing extensively to this shared work.I wish I had the time and space to undertake a thorough and exhaustive review, for the edification of and use by other potential readers. However, I am too busy reading further and continuing to put into practice all I have learned from Hanson so far. For me personally, my use of HH & FWB has been one of two crucial pivotal elements that aided me in shifting my life from one of extended untenable suffering to one of vibrant aliveness with a zest for meeting the challenges that any life might entail. The first changes come within--in terms of quality of (lived-) life experience. From that basis, the slower-to-change areas of physical and worldly endeavor have in many ways taken a back seat for me. Though in other ways I now view them through a lens with a much clearer perspective, I believe. One of the many paradoxes (in rational logic terms) that seem to be staples in the growth and transformation business (the "inner work").My bottom line is: if you are hungry to up your Resilience game in the most efficient, effective, and efficacious way possible, you cannot go wrong by using this book as your entree. Bon appétit!

Great stuff! Definitely worth trying. Like anything, it takes practice to start to see results, but the HEAL method helped me right away. In just a few weeks I already feel like I’ve made a lot of progress.The book gives you good techniques for approaching and managing anxiety - when it is happening in the moment, as well as how to train your brain to see the positive (combat negative thought patterns and build up resilience). The book focuses on 2-3 techniques, which are easy to understand with good practice exercises. Each chapter showcases the same techniques through different lenses, which helps to reinforce it and shows you that they can be used in a variety of situations. Definitely worth a try.

"Resilient" is an exceptional book. It stands out as a book that is well-organized, well-written, useful, warm and wise.I initially wrote a "one-star" review of "Resilient" because I found my computer infected with malware after I visited a site mentioned at the end of the book. When I wrote that review, I offered to make another review should the issue I encountered be acknowledged. The authors have responded and I accept their assurances that, at the least, they have paid attention to the potential problem and may have it completely resolved. I expressed myself much more harshly than I really intended. I apologize to the Hansons and to the readers of the first review for that excess.Given that I committed to re-review the book in my first review, I felt a challenge to write a review that was an accurate review and not an apology. I offer this. I generally don't experience books for which I want to write "five star" reviews. "Resilient" deserves five stars. In the context of making my life more resilient against all the pains, challenges and opportunities I face in life, "Resilient", while not resilience itself, is certainly an excellent signpost pointing to where I might find a more resilient life. I expect that it will take me some time to fully appreciate how much I will be getting out of this book. "Resilient" discusses twelve qualities of being that one might cultivate in order to a have a more resilient life. I have not yet read each section closely, but in the several sections on which I have focused I have found compassionate concern for myself as the reader, insights that have quickly enriched my life, and suggestions for feeling, thinking and acting that I can actually use. I am glad for reading "Resilient", and I look forward to expending the effort to bring what it shares into my life. To quote Dr. Hanson from the book, "If you know your course is good, even if it is not immediately rewarding, stay with it." This is a book offering a course with which to stay. I plan on sharing this book with my friends and family, and I would encourage other readers to come along. To Rick and Forrest Hanson, thank you.

I first listened to this as a library audiobook and then I wanted a hard copy so I could better follow the instructions. At first I didn’t like the book because it seemed like it only covered feeling a bit better from day to day downfalls but those are building blocks for longer term blockages. Anyway my puppy got to it and now made the cover even more symbolic of resiliency :)