What Happened to Resilience? Reclaiming the Wisdom of Our Forebears
18 Jul 2025 2:25 PMIt’s hard to ignore in a world where information is everywhere, our inner strength seems to be diminishing. We are more connected than ever, yet more dependent.
It’s hard to ignore in a world where information is everywhere, our inner strength seems to be diminishing. We are more connected than ever, yet more dependent. More informed, yet less self-reliant. A simple flu that once warranted rest, lemon and honey, or a hot toddy now drives people straight into the doctor’s office. What’s going on? Last week in Brisbane all elective surgeries had to be cancelled due to an influx of flu patients!!
This shift speaks to something deeper than just changing health trends. It’s about disempowerment. We’ve been conditioned—subtly, steadily—to outsource our resilience. Instead of trusting our instincts, heritage, or the tried-and-true remedies handed down by grandparents, many of us now look solely to institutions, academics, or media for validation. The message is clear: if it’s not backed by a degree, a prescription pad, or a headline, it can’t be trusted.
But it wasn’t always like this.
Our ancestors, regardless of background, had a kind of practical intelligence—a wisdom forged through necessity and survival. They knew how to treat a fever, grow food, navigate hardship, and rally together in times of need. Resilience wasn’t a buzzword; it was a way of life. Community and family were the source of knowledge. Elders were consulted, not dismissed. We continue to learn this from the Kokoda track. (kokodatrack.com.au)
So where did we go wrong?
Somewhere along the way, we began to replace ancestral wisdom with institutional authority. The rise of modern medicine, academia, and digital information brought with it incredible benefits—but also a cost. We’ve traded inner knowing for external approval. We doubt our bodies. We fear discomfort. We seek immediate solutions, even for things that once simply required time, patience, or a warm compress.
This disempowerment breeds fragility. When every cough requires an expert and every setback demands a diagnosis, we erode our own belief in our ability to cope. We forget that resilience is not something you’re born with—it’s something you build. And building it means learning to trust yourself again. This is what the Kokoda journey with us is all about.
It’s time we start asking bold questions:
- Why do we no longer feel confident in managing minor illnesses or emotional turbulence?
- Why is the wisdom of our grandparents considered “unscientific” when it kept generations alive?
- What has the cost been of turning away from lived experience in favour of institutions?
Reclaiming resilience doesn’t mean rejecting progress—it means rebalancing. It means recognising the value in both worlds: the science of today and the stories of yesterday. It’s time to start listening again to the voices of our forebears—those who adapted, endured, and passed on their tools for living, not just surviving. Again this is all evident when you walk the Kokoda track or other with us. www.ourspirit.com.au
Because the truth is, resilience has never gone away—it’s just been buried under layers of convenience and control. And now, more than ever, we need to dig it up, dust it off, and put it back where it belongs: within ourselves.
Find your resilience by signing up with us to walk the Kokoda track, it requires an investment of at least 3 months to ensure you are ready.