What does it take to keep building emotional resilience and healing when life keeps getting harder?
In Part 2 of this raw series with Hawa Who from KeepCalm.org, we explore the practical side of living with trauma : how to build emotional resilience, find safe spaces for healing, and navigate setbacks without losing hope.
This conversation was recorded during my own mental health relapse in April. My words weren’t polished, my voice wasn’t always steady and if you are watching on YouTube, you’ll notice my eyes don’t focus on the camera. That’s because I was fully present with Hawa, focused on holding the conversation together. And still, I showed up. Because resilience isn’t about perfection. It’s about finding the strength to keep showing up, one moment at a time.
In Part 2, we explore:
- Why emotional resilience matters when healing isn’t linear
- How to move with and through trauma while life keeps happening
- The role of safe, supportive spaces in nervous system healing
- Why setbacks don’t erase progress and how to reframe them
- The quiet power of showing up when you feel least ready
Whether you’ve faced a "big" trauma, ongoing stress, or wounds you can’t name, this episode is for anyone building resilience while navigating the messiness and complexity of real everyday life.
The reminder is simple, but life-changing: You are not broken. Healing is a journey and emotional resilience is what helps us take the next step, even when it feels impossible.
Timestamps
00:00 – Honest intro to Part 2
03:02 – Why healing isn’t linear
06:14 – Building emotional resilience when life keeps happening
12:28 – Safe spaces & nervous system healing
19:57 – Reframing setbacks & showing up anyway
23:41 – Closing reflections & Part 3 preview
Resources & Links
📍 KeepCalm.org — a nonprofit mental health organization providing education, community support & practical tools.
📍 Hawa Who — creative, model, author, poet, and woman in tech; Cybersecurity Analyst at Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.
Hashtags:
#TraumaHealing #EmotionalResilience #HealingJourney #NervousSystemHealing #MentalFitness #SelfLeadership #LuluEsseyPodcast #KeepCalm
This is an inside job. Share this episode with those you love. 💛
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Let's Connect:
https://www.luluessey.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@luluessey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucille-marie-essey/
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Free Guide: Break Free from the Success Trap – https://www.luluessey.com/freetool
Thank you for being here. You are enough. ✨
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