If you’ve survived these 10 hardships, you’re stronger than 95% of people

by Lachlan Brown | September 7, 2025, 11:37 pm

Life can be tough, but it’s in those tough moments that we find our true strength.

Some of us have been through things that others can’t even imagine. We’ve stared down adversity and come out the other side stronger, wiser, more resilient.

This article is for you, the survivor. It’s an acknowledgement of the hardships you’ve faced and an affirmation of your strength.

If you’ve made it through any of these ten challenges, you’re likely stronger than 95% of people out there.

These are experiences that test us to our core and shape us into the people we are today. Strength isn’t about never falling; it’s about getting back up every time we fall.

Keep pushing forward, keep learning, because your story is far from over:

1) Personal loss

Experiencing personal loss is one of the hardest things we go through as human beings.

Whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or losing a job, these events can shake us to our core. They can leave us feeling empty, lost, even questioning our purpose in life.

However, if you’ve made it through such an ordeal, it’s a testament to your strength.

It’s proof of your ability to endure pain and still keep going.

Surviving personal loss requires resilience. It requires us to confront our deepest fears and to face life without someone or something we once relied on.

It’s not easy as it’s not something anyone would choose, but it’s an experience that shapes us, that forces us grow and adapt.

If you’ve survived a major personal loss and managed to pick up the pieces, you’re stronger than you think. You’ve faced one of life’s toughest challenges and come out the other side.

Remember, it’s okay to grieve and it’s okay to feel. Your emotions are proof that you’re human.

2) Financial hardship

I know firsthand how challenging financial hardship can be.

A few years back, I went through a period of unemployment. It was a time filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

I didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills, let alone put food on the table.

The experience taught me a lot about resilience and resourcefulness. I had to tighten my belt, get creative, and find ways to stretch every dollar. It was tough, but I made it through.

Financial hardship is not just about money, it’s also about maintaining your dignity and self-esteem during a time when they’re most likely to take a hit.

Surviving tough financial times tests your character and resilience more than most other challenges.

3) Health crisis

Surviving a health crisis is an ordeal that requires immense strength and resilience.

Be it a life-threatening illness, a severe accident, or mental health struggles, these situations push us to our limits.

A 2014 study published in the North Carolina Medical Journal reported that cancer survivors are more likely to experience psychological distress than those without a history of cancer. This demonstrates the toll that such a health crisis can take on an individual.

However, if you’ve survived a health crisis, it’s not just about the physical recovery.

It’s about the mental and emotional strength it took to fight your way back to health.

4) Overcoming addiction

Addiction is a demon that many people grapple with, and overcoming it is a testament to one’s strength and resilience.

Whether it’s substance abuse, gambling, or any other form of addiction, the road to recovery is often a long and arduous journey. It requires not just physical endurance, but immense mental strength and emotional resilience.

The process of overcoming addiction often involves confronting deep-seated issues, changing harmful habits, and rebuilding one’s life from scratch. It’s a battle fought in the heart and mind every single day.

If you’ve successfully overcome an addiction, you’ve shown an incredible amount of courage and determination. You’ve proven that you have the strength to conquer even the toughest challenges life throws your way.

Your past does not define you. Your strength in overcoming addiction makes you stronger than 95% of people out there.

5) Living through a disaster

Surviving a natural or man-made disaster is an experience that leaves a lasting impact on one’s life.

Whether it’s a hurricane, earthquake, war, or any other calamity, the experience is terrifying and can turn your life upside down in an instant.

Suddenly, you’re in survival mode, trying to protect yourself and your loved ones while dealing with the loss of your home, possessions, or even community.

You’ve proven that you can withstand the worst that nature, or mankind, can throw at you.

Surviving a disaster means you’ve picked up the pieces and rebuilt your life despite the devastation.

6) Experiencing abuse

Experiencing any form of abuse, be it physical, emotional, or sexual, is a harrowing experience that no one should have to endure.

Abuse leaves deep scars that can take years, even a lifetime, to heal. It can make the world seem like a terrifying place, and trust becomes a difficult concept to grasp.

If you’ve survived abuse and are reading this, know that you are incredibly strong.

You’ve endured the unimaginable, yet here you are, still standing.

Surviving abuse is about reclaiming your life, your dignity, and your self-worth—healing and learning to trust again.

There is no shame in what you’ve been through. Stand tall in your truth and know that you are not alone.

7) Battling loneliness

Loneliness can be a silent killer.

There was a time when I felt completely alone in the world, even when surrounded by others; it’s a feeling of isolation that can be incredibly overwhelming.

It’s not just about being physically alone, it’s about feeling disconnected, misunderstood, and unloved. It’s a kind of emotional pain that can feel as real and as potent as any physical pain.

Surviving loneliness focuses on learning to be comfortable with yourself, finding self-love, and realizing your worth.

8) Failure and rejection

We often view failure and rejection as negative experiences, but surviving these can actually be a sign of incredible strength.

Whether it’s failing at a job, flunking an exam, or being rejected in a relationship, these experiences can shatter our self-esteem.

They can make us question our worth and abilities.

However, if you’ve faced failure or rejection and managed to pick yourself up, it’s a testament to your resilience.

Surviving failure isn’t just about getting back on track. It’s about learning from the experience, growing from it, and using it as a stepping stone to success.

Similarly, surviving rejection teaches you humility, resilience, and the ability to handle disappointment.

If you’ve fallen down and risen again, know that you have a strength that not everyone possesses.

9) Living with a disability

Living with a disability, whether it’s physical, mental, or sensory, presents unique challenges that require immense strength to overcome.

Everyday tasks can become hurdles, and society often fails to understand or accommodate these challenges. It can feel like you’re constantly fighting against a world that wasn’t built for you.

However, if you’ve lived with a disability and navigated through life’s obstacles, your strength is truly extraordinary.

Striving to live everyday with this experience is about advocating for yourself, breaking down barriers, and challenging societal norms.

The resilience and tenacity required to live with a disability is immense.

10) Maintaining hope in despair

Maintaining hope in the face of despair is perhaps the most formidable challenge of all.

When life hits you with its worst, when everything seems to be going wrong, maintaining hope can feel impossible.

It’s like trying to see light in overwhelming darkness, but if you’ve held onto hope amidst despair then your strength is truly profound.

This isn’t just about overcoming negative circumstances. It’s about holding onto the belief that things can get better, even when there’s no evidence to support it.

Your ability to keep hope alive in the most challenging times is a testament to your extraordinary strength.

Final reflection: The power of resilience

The journey of life is filled with challenges and hardships, but it’s these experiences that shape us, mold us, and give us the strength we often didn’t know we possessed.

Every hardship you’ve survived has added to your resilience and every challenge you’ve overcome has made you stronger. That strength is not just about enduring the tough times, but about growing from them.

A quote by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross beautifully encapsulates this: “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.”

If you’ve survived any of these ten hardships, remember that you’re stronger for it and you’re part of the rare 5% who have weathered life’s storms and emerged stronger.

Take a moment to reflect on your journey, acknowledge your strength, and celebrate it.

You’re a survivor, and that is something truly remarkable!

Lachlan Brown

Lachlan Brown is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Brown Brothers Media, a digital publishing network reaching tens of millions of readers monthly. He holds a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies from Deakin University, though his real education came afterward: a warehouse job shifting TVs, a stretch of anxiety in his mid-twenties, and the slow discovery that studying the mind is not the same as learning how to live well. He started experimenting with Buddhist principles during breaks at the warehouse and eventually began writing about what he was learning. That writing became Hack Spirit, a widely read personal development site, and his book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism became a bestseller. His work breaks down complex ideas into frameworks people can apply immediately, whether they are navigating a career change, a difficult relationship, or the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Lachlan splits his time between Singapore and Saigon. He writes about high-performance routines, decision-making under pressure, digital innovation, and the intersection of Eastern philosophy with modern life. His perspective comes from having built things from scratch, failed at some of them, and learned that clarity comes from practice, not theory.