Mumbai Teen Conquered 7 Highest Peaks: Resilience and Social Support as Catalysts to Big Feats

Kaamya Karthikeyan, a 17-year-old girl, became the youngest female to conquer seven of the highest peaks across seven continents. She climbed Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro), Europe (Mt Elbrus), Australia (Mt Kosciuszko), South America (Mt Aconcagua), North America (Mt Denali), Asia (Mt Everest), and finally Antarctica (Mt Vinson). She began her journey at 7 with a trek in Uttarakhand and her mother is the encouragement. Her dream of conquering the seven highest peaks began at the age of 14, and she climbed Mt Everest at 16. Finally, completing the seventh with his father on December 24, 2024. Her journey of years shows her determination and resilience to achieve the big feat.

Moreover, the news also highlights the support from her parents, school, and the Indian Navy. Apart from her resilience, this immense support has a significant role in her achievement. This is a great example of the role of resilience and social support in an individual’s life to reach success. Together they create a powerful impact on people’s lives to facilitate their goals. Let’s psychologically explore these factors in detail. 

Read More: The Psychology of Resilience

Resilience – The Ability to Bounce Back 

Do you know what exactly resilience is? A few of you may be familiar with this term and often use it. Some of you may heard of it but don’t know it exactly. Resilience is a positive adaptation, an ability to regain mental health after adversities. Don’t think resilience is something extraordinary confined only to a few individuals. It’s an ordinary thing everyone can develop. 

Factors Influencing Resilience 

Several factors contribute to resilience in a combined fashion. One of the major factors is social support which will be explained in later sections. Other factors include: 

• Your ability to plan realistically and take steps to accomplish them. 
• A positive view of yourself and self-confidence about your strengths and weaknesses.
• Your communication and problem-solving skills. 
• The ability to regulate your strong feelings and impulses. 

You can develop these factors by yourself through practice. 

Read More: Are we prepared enough to cope with failures?

How to Build Resilience? 

Not everyone reacts in the same way to stressful situations. The strategy works for one person may not be suitable for another. Cultural variations may also influence the strategies people adopt. The following are some ways to build self-confidence. 

• Connect: Maintaining good connections will facilitate resilience. These may be with your family members, close friends, or anyone. Having someone to listen and support you will provide a greater strength to achieve big. You can also join various groups or organizations to expand your connections. Helping others can also benefit you.
• Change the way you see problems: Going through highly stressful events is common in life. You can’t control those situations, but you can change the way you perceive them. Don’t get stuck with the problem. Try to look in a futuristic way and how you can be better then. Also, look at subtle ways that help you deal with them. 
• Take struggles as a means for self-discovery: Failures help you to learn about yourself. Dealing with failures is often a process of self-discovery and makes you more resilient. You can develop an increased sense of self-worth and a better appreciation of life. This will enable you to deal better in other areas of life too. 
• Move toward your goals: Set some realistic goals. Make SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Break down bigger goals into smaller steps. Regularly, take each small step towards your goal. 
• Take care of yourself: This involves taking care of your mind and body. Pay attention to your body and feelings. Exercise regularly. Regulate your diet. Practice mindfulness or other relaxation exercises. Do what you enjoy. 
• Accept change: Your situations need not be always the same. Circumstances change and some goals may not be attainable. Accept those changes and look for alternative ways to achieve what you need. 
• Be optimistic: Practice an optimistic outlook on life. Hope good things will happen in life. Try to think about what you want instead of worrying about your fears.
• Take decisive actions: Act on stressful situations in a decisive way. Don’t try to detach from the problem or leave it. 
• Nurture self-confidence: Developing self-confidence will strengthen your resilience.

Remember, what works for you solely depends on you. So choose the ways that are suitable for you rather than pressurizing yourself with uncomfortable strategies. 

Read More: 6 Tips to Gain Motivation: Be Motivated Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

Social Support – The Strength through Connections

Social support is a significant factor which can contribute to resilience. It is refers to the network of relationships available to you in your time of need, and providing various resources. This support can be from anyone – your parents, peers, teachers, or community. The social support you receive may be either tangible or intangible. Tangible forms include practical help or financial support. In contrast, intangible comprises of empathy, encouragement, or guidance. 

Benefits of Social Support 

Social support benefits you in several ways to facilitate resilience. 

• Promote your well-being. 
• Enhances your ability to direct life’s complexities. 
• Support you to develop coping strategies in the face of challenges.
• Gives you a sense of belonging, connectedness, and reciprocity. 

Several psychological studies also support the positive effects of diverse forms of social support in facilitating individuals’ achievements. 

Read More: Resilience: Adjusting Focus From Where You Can’t Do To What You Can

Building Support Networks 

It’s important to build good social networks to foster your well-being and achievements. Some ways you can acquire them involve: 

• Open Communication: Share your goals, challenges, and aspirations with trusted persons. This facilitates better connection and you may get guidance from them.
• Locate community: Acquire memberships in groups that align with your interests, such as clubs, professional organizations, or online forums. 
• Give support: Receiving support also needs giving support to others. Be supportive of others, and maintain a reciprocal relationship. 
• Stay connected: Maintaining connections is equally important as making connections. Keep regular interactions and stay in touch. 

The Synergy of Resilience and Social Support 

Resilience and social support are two interdependent concepts that facilitate your self-confidence and achievements. Being resilient is more of developing an inner strength that enables you to face challenges and stressors in life. In contrast, social support is an external factor that gives you encouragement and resources to sustain that strength. They act bidirectionally – resilience makes you seek support in the process of developing inner strength whereas social support enhances your resilience by providing timely support. 

Read More: How These 10 Small Habits Build Big Success

Conclusion 

Kaamya Karthikeyan’s achievement is extraordinary. It also shows the interplay of resilience and social support in reaching big feats. Despite difficulties, resilience gives her the strength to continue her journey towards the goal. Along with that, good social support, from her parents, school, and others, provides her with more confidence and resources. 

Her accomplishment teaches us the importance of developing resilience and social support. These two can facilitate success in any area of life in anyone’s life. Try to build them gradually. You can also find your hidden potential. Stay connected and support others. Be your support system at the time of challenges. Seek support from others based on the need. You can also reach big feats. 

FAQS

1. Can resilience be developed, or is it an inherited trait? 

Resilience is a skill that can be developed through intentional practice. Building self-confidence, setting realistic goals, maintaining a growth mindset, seeking social support, and learning to manage stress are all ways to enhance resilience. 

2. How does social support contribute to personal and professional success?

Social support provides emotional support, practical help, and valuable advice, creating a strong foundation for success. It reduces stress, fosters motivation, and ensures individuals have access to resources and networks that help them overcome challenges. 

3. What are some examples of social support in challenging situations? 

• Emotional encouragement from family and friends during stressful situations.
• Financial assistance or resources provided by loved ones or organizations.
• Advice or guidance from mentors in a professional or academic setting.
• Companionship and understanding from peers in shared pursuits, such as ports teams or study groups. 

4. Can resilience and social support work together? 

Yes, resilience and social support complement each other. Resilience provides the inner strength to face challenges, while social support offers external resources and encouragement to sustain effort. Together, they create a powerful synergy that drives individuals toward success. 

5. How can social support reduce stress and improve mental health? 

Social support helps reduce stress by providing a safe space to share concerns, gain perspective, and receive reassurance. Emotional support from loved ones helps individuals feel valued and less isolated, while practical assistance can alleviate burdens, making challenges more manageable