If you have a computer, read self-help books, or occasionally watch shows like Oprah or Dr. Phil, then you have probably heard about resilience at one point or another. Even as a child, you may have been told that you need to become more resilient, you need to grow your resilience, or that you need to encourage your friends to be resilient.
 
People love to tell you to be resilient, but they rarely give you advice on how to do it, leaving you with more questions than answers. What is resilience, and why does it matter? Why are doctors, counselors, and friends all the sudden talking about resilience in your life? Is it a new phenomenon, or have doctors been looking at it for a while? Better yet, how do you become resilient, and how can it help your life?