When Life Gives You Lemons…A Lesson on Prosilience

Abstract

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This is a popular saying that is meant to evoke optimism in the face of adversity. This is an exercise on resilience. Resilience, simply put, is the ability to bounce back from adversity or the proverbial lemon. It is taking the sourness out of a crisis and making it more palatable through thoughtful planning. The value of resilience cannot be overstated. We survived a global pandemic but are still in the midst of an economic, political, and environmental crisis. Now more than ever, anticipating and evolving before the disruption even occurs is critical. While resilience is about how one responds to challenges, prosilience, on the other hand, is about how one intentionally prepares to deal with them. The author would argue that prosilience means when life gives you lemons, make lemon cake. This perspective suggests that not only should one be resilient in the face of challenges but also proactive in preparing for them, much like the intentional steps taken to make a delicious lemon cake.