The comfort cage: Why resilience is the most urgent skill for the next generation

From smartphones to instant gratification, modern life has stripped away the small struggles that once built character. Today, courage must be cultivated intentionally, because life will inevitably demand it. We should hope for the best but prepare for the worst. True trust is not in what we achieve but in the tests we survive. ALSO READ: A generation awakened, redefining civic responsibility Sometimes, when life feels heavy, there is a sudden urge to do something truly challenging that pushes the body to its limits, or immersing oneself in stories of people who have endured unimaginable trials. It is not a need for suffering; it is an instinctive reminder that endurance exists, that strength is real, and that hardship can be met with courage. Resilience is more than survival; it is the ability to rise, rebuild, and transform pain into purpose. It is the most valuable gift we can cultivate for ourselves and pass on to our children. ALSO READ: A call to Rwanda’s youth to guard the gift of peace together A common misconception is that resilience is an innate trait, reserved for the naturally strong. This is not true. Resilience is a skill, a muscle built through deliberate effort, reflection, and daily practice. It is what determines whether we sink or swim when life’s inevitable storms strike. ALSO READ: Free my generation from the identity crisis trap To understand the scope of human endurance, one need only looks at Rwanda. Survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi endured horrors beyond imagination, losing families, homes, and their sense of what “normal life” looked like. And yet, what followed is extraordinary. These survivors are not defined by what sought to break them but by what they rebuilt: families grounded in love, communities stitched back together, and a nation standing as a model of unity and progress. Many have become parents, raising children in hope rather than bitterness, while others lead reconciliation programmes, businesses, and educational initiatives. Their lives show that trauma does not define a person; the human spirit does. This resilience extends beyond genocide survivors. Across Rwanda, countless individuals display quiet strength: a mother who wakes at dawn to educate her children after losing everything, a young entrepreneur who fails multiple times before finding success, a farmer who rebuilds after floods, students from modest backgrounds who become the first in their families to earn degrees, and military officers who spend their lives navigating extreme conditions to keep communities and systems functioning. These stories are not unique to Rwanda. They are universal. Former refugees rebuilding from scratch, families in Haiti recovering after earthquakes, communities in Mozambique and DR Congo rising after disasters, all testify that hope and perseverance can flourish even under extreme pressure. The modern paradox: Comfort as the ultimate challenge We live in an age of unprecedented convenience. Smartphones, streaming platforms, and instant entertainment make distraction effortless. Comfort is a blessing, but it carries a hidden danger: a declining tolerance for discomfort. Life now actively removes the small struggles that once forged endurance. Consequently, when real challenges arise failure, heartbreak, rejection feelings of helplessness and despair emerge quickly. This is especially true for the youth, who live in an era of convenience but are increasingly exposed to the pressures of comparison, social media, and instant gratification. Many have been shielded from discomfort, so when difficulties arrive, the weight feels unbearable. This is not weakness it is the result of an environment that rarely trains young people to confront pain, build endurance, and accept that suffering is part of human existence. Rwandans who rebuilt their lives, and countless people worldwide who have overcome tragedy, teach us that life becomes meaningful not when it is easy, but when challenges are met with courage. Forging an unconquerable spirit Resilience is learned, not inherited. It emerges from conscious choices made every day. The resilient person does not run from discomfort they turn toward it. They allow themselves to feel pain, to process it, and to learn from it. Growth begins at the edge of comfort, in difficult conversations, challenging tasks, and physical endurance. Hardship demands ownership. While adversity is not always our fault, resilience requires claiming responsibility for our response. Accountability transforms setbacks into starting points for growth and success. Constructive criticism, even when uncomfortable, becomes fuel for improvement. Recognizing that suffering is universal removes feelings of isolation and personal injustice, shifting focus from “Why me?” to “What now?” Finally, discipline matters. Mental toughness is forged through daily routines physical exercise, learning new skills, or maintaining reflective practices. These small, consistent habits cultivate the endurance needed to weather life’s inevitable storms. The courage for the next generation For youth navigating a world of comfort and distraction, learning resilience is the most empowering act. Struggle is not a sign of weakness; it is the medium through which strength is forged. Building resilience equips young people to face failure, rejection, and disappointment with dignity. It allows them to transform adversity into creative energy, to construct lives of meaning, and to respond to difficulty with perseverance rather than despair. Hardship does not define limits; it reveals them. It shows how high a person can rise when challenged. Embracing this truth allows individuals to stop feeling singled out, to stop feeling fragile, and to stop giving up easily. Today’s youth enjoy more opportunity and comfort than past generations. Yet, the lessons from those who endured far greater suffering remind us that courage is a skill, strength is cultivated, and resilience is earned. The choice is clear: rise, persist, and forge an unbreakable spirit, for resilience is the skill that will define the next generation. The writer is an international relations and diplomacy enthusiast.

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The comfort cage: Why resilience is the most urgent skill for the next generation