On Moving Countries and Building Resilience

It was 3 years ago I moved over to Bristol, UK, from a small town in the middle of Spain. Many things have changed along the way and many others have remained the same. I have managed to get myself a degree, build a tiny professional reputation as a drummer in the Bristol scene, taught a few private students, met loads of people and connected with so many musicians.

It didn’t seem an easy route to follow but I have a lot to thank to the fact I am an immigrant. In hindsight, I see as an advantage. From struggling with English and all the downside that can carry as an university student to the shift in the culture I live in, although it gave me headaches and insomnia at times, it has built a really powerful asset: RESILIENCE.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from problems and struggles, being able to reflectively learn from experience and put that knowledge into use so you come back stronger than you were. Quoting https://www.boingboing.org.uk/resilience/definitions-resilience/ ,

‘Beating the odds, whilst also changing the odds.’

In a time of constant change and fast-paced environments, adversity and pressure will come sooner or later, in different forms and different times. Being able to be resilient i.e. have a mind powerful enough to stand against such situations and come out successful is a soft skill we all can benefit from. In other words, I am extremely lucky to have been put into such a situation as having to adapt to a new country, new education system, and so on.

I was listening today to the Gary Vee interview with Joe Rogan, and Joe mentions that in order to build self-awareness and resilience, you need to seek challenging experiences and put yourself in places where you struggle. It is in these situations where you find the most about yourself and you can learn to strategise, short and long-term and problem-solve adequately, making you a better, more effective person as a result.