Overcoming Adversity Like Jeremy Renner
- “Avengers” star Jeremy Renner, who was severely injured during an accident last year, is thriving, back to work, and looking healthy more than one year after his near-fatal experience.
- Renner shared a selfie on Instagram this week offering some words of wisdom to his fans, insisted, “Collectively we can move MOUNTAINS!!!”
- Overcoming adversity can seem daunting but having a plan can make it feel achievable. It’s important to remember that setting goals and breaking them into smaller steps is key. When going through a difficult time, try setting a goal, making a plan, relying on others, and using positive self-talk.
- Resilience is an important trait to have in the face of adversity, such as the recovery journey Renner went through.
- Remember, focusing on positivity, hope, and faith through a health battle, like cancer or an accident, can positively impact your experience.
Despite “The Hurt Locker” actor being hospitalized in “critical but stable condition” after the accident [as per his spokesman Sam Mast who spoke NBC News], Renner appears to be thriving nearly 14 months since he sustained his injuries.
Read MoreAlongside a selfie of Renner, pictured sitting in a car and wearing glasses, the actor captioned his Instagram post, “Checking in with this thought.View this post on Instagram
“All of the obstacles, the problems, and failures are my allies of whom pour the foundation where my successes are built… to anyone who is struggling with failures or overwhelming obstacles, I wish and will upon you a powerful belief that you are not alone … and collectively we can move MOUNTAINS!!!”
He concluded with the hashtags, “#blessyouall #loveandtitanium.”
Love and Titanium is the title of Renner’s new album which was released on January 19, 2024.
It’s certainly impressive how much Renner has been through to get back to where he is today, something many of his fans admire.
One of his fans commented on his post, “With All our Faith , Hope And Trust in God everything is Possible. You are a true inspiration to me. God bless you always.”
Another wrote, “Mindset! If you want it, go for it. Yes sometimes there’s obstacles but we must move them aside and push forward. Good friends and family that support us will help get us through it too. Stay positive and do the best you can. God Bless.”
“Wow! How overwhelmingly beautiful. I Can really feel how grateful you are for being blessed through and through,” commented a third.
View this post on Instagram
His warmhearted words, comes about a month after Renner shared a photo of himself standing tall and proud in a gym.
Renner captioned the Jan 15, 2024, post, “I was reminded that love, good will, hard work and a legion of good humans are getting me through every day … thank you , bless you ….
“And as always, I hold my promise to be better, be stronger, and grow to surpass potential…. Bless you all.”
Not only is Renner looking great and keeping fit, he’s also back to working after his frightening snowplow incident. He recently shared a post on how the season 3 of the “Mayor of Kingstown” is now in production, and he will be acting in it.
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View this post on Instagram
Speaking to People last month about getting back to work since his Jan. 1, 2023, snowplow incident, he said, referring to his mindset, “I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it. Again, I try to just do everything kind of step by step here.
“That’s one foot in front of the other one. Then you’re walking.”
He continued, “I think I’m excited when I’m there and I get in a rhythm there. I’m excited about the character and, of course, all the people involved and all that in the storyline, but for me, I’m just tentative of confidence in work.”
Renner also noted that he’s “scared of slipping and falling” when working in the cold while filming in Pittsburgh.
View this post on Instagram
Renner is the epitome of resilience and continues to remain hopeful on his ongoing recovery journey. Back in November he shared an uplifting video clip of himself doing side steps and skips down what appears to be a driveway and then running back up, with the song “Sign” by Jeremy Renner himself and Eric Zayne.
The song’s lyrics heard in the video clip are, “I need something to believe in/ Throw my hands up to the ceiling/ Oh, sky, won’t you give me a sign?/ Tell me will the world one day ever be mine/ Will it ever be mine.”
Renner captioned the post, “Today marks the day on 10 months of recovery …. First attempt at any of this activity (especially at steep grade) and was brought to tears of joy, hopefulness, and gratitude for all your support along with my family and friends….
“I keep pushing for many reasons, but you are my fuel.”
Renner previously spoke with Diane Sawyer about his accident and ongoing recovery. During an April 2023 interview, Renner explaned he had been leaning out of the snowplow’s door to look for his nephew, but fell off fell under the snowplow’s track while trying to climb back up.
The dad of one told Saywer, “I just happened to be the dummy standing on the dang track a little bit, seeing if my nephew was there,. You should be inside the vehicle when you’re operating [it,] you know what I mean? It’s kind of like driving a car with your foot outside the car … And it’s my mistake, and I paid for it.”
Renner was attempting to help his nephew, who was 27 years old at the time, move a truck that had gotten stuck after a snowstorm. Luckily his nephew was there when the accident occurred.
“If I was there on my own, that would’ve been a horrible way to die. And surely I would have. Surely. But I wasn’t alone. It was my nephew, sweet Alex. And the rest of the cavalry came.”
As for his injuries, Renner said, “I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience, but I’ve been refueled and refilled with love and titanium.”
SurvivorNetTV Presents: Breaking the Cycle The Power of Mindset
Resilience Through Adversity
We love how Jeremy Renner’s genuine determination and hope could be seen through throughout his recovery following his accident, which is why we’d like to point out how SurvivorNet specializes in covering the lives of people who overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Often, seeing the positive helps them maintain their resilience.
WATCH: Defining and Building Resilience
Dr. Zuri Murrell, an oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously spoke to SurvivorNet about the role of a positive outlook on survival rates, saying, “I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
Resilience is an important trait, but not the easiest to build. The ultimate goal is not to avoid tough times, but to be able to bounce back from them. And yet, when they are faced with an overwhelming, life-changing situation, how do people shift their view? How do they learn to see the problem as temporary, rather than permanent, and figure out a solution?
It’s complicated, because building resilience is more about your mental and emotional fortitude than anything else. According to the American Psychological Association, “the resources and skills associated with more positive adaptation (i.e., greater resilience) can be cultivated and practiced.” In other words, resilience is not something you’re born with, which should be encouraging. Instead, after every challenge in your life, you build more and more resilience to those hard times.
You can build resilience the way you build muscle – through patience and steady exercise of the skill. Here are some lessons taken from Fischer, Runkel, and Soller, all who have spoke with SurvivorNet in earlier interviews.
- Be willing to learn. If one way doesn’t work, find a different way. If an obstacle lands in your way, build a path around it or over it. In Resilience, one of the athletes says, “You always have to be learning. Otherwise, life gets stagnant.” The more you learn, the more you grow and growth is a sign of resilience.
- Spend time with people who inspire you. Our world is filled with people who overcome challenges, and their success can energize you to overcome your own. Think about famous people who hava faced adversity and did not give up Stephen King actually threw his manuscript, Carrie, in the trash because it had been rejected by publishers so many times. His wife encouraged him to keep sending it out, and he finally sold it in 1974 launching a massively successful career as a novelist. Take the time to read and learn about the lives of Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, Bethany Hamilton, Nelson Mandela, and others.
- Allow yourself to grieve. Don’t push away or dismiss your frustration and sadness. Ben Fischer says that life can be filled with lots of crying, but “Those cries make us stronger.”
- Be flexible. Abandon the idea that there is only one solution or that you must stick to your original plan. The best solution or plan is the one that eventually works. You may need to change your original plan as the circumstances change.
- Lean in to your community. Your friends, colleagues, and family are invaluable, and when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed by a problem, their support can carry you. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is the longest study of human well-being. Many news outlets have covered its results, which show that maintaining strong, healthy relationships helped people live longer lives. Psychiatrist and author Dr. Samantha Boardman tells SurvivorNet that connecting with and contributing to the lives of other people are two of “the three wellsprings of vitality” (the third is feeling positively challenged).
Facing Cancer: How to Turn Stress into Strength
If you’ve been through a difficult health challenge or any type of adversity throughout your live, Dr. Boardman told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview that one way to get your mental health back in check after a diagnosis is to try to play up your strengths.
“I sometimes will ask patients, tell me about yourself when you were at your best,” she explained. “Using that story, trying to figure out what strengths come to mind. Is it patience? Is it appreciation of beauty? It is perseverance? [Then we can] use those strengths in constructive ways to navigate their cancer journey.”
‘Sink or Swim’: An Inspiring Tale of Getting Back on Board
Dr. Boardman says another way to approach harnessing the strength you already have is by tapping into your values. This could be family, close friendships, spirituality, or commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Reminding yourself of what your values are and how you are living accordingly is another way to unleash that inner strength.
Lastly, patients shouldn’t underestimate the value of simply opening up, Dr. Boardman says. This could mean speaking to a close family member or friend, or it could mean seeking support in other ways by finding a therapist that meets your needs or looking into joining a support group.
Having negative feelings throughout a health struggle is to be expected, however, doctors will tell you that people who find a way to work through the emotions and stay positive tend to have better outcomes.
Hope & Faith Through a Health Battle
Focusing on the positives while battling cancer or a health issue can be extremely helpful.
In an earlier interview, ovarian cancer survivor Beverly Reeves stresses how critical it is to have supportive, loving energy guiding you during your cancer battle. She talks about how her faith community was integral to her journey, too.
Reeves tells SurvivorNet, “If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you’re connected to a faith community, get your faith community.”
“Get your family,” says Reeves. “Let them know what’s going on and let them help you. And sometimes that’s the most difficult thing to do, but just know that they are there. If they love you, they’re there to help you. And don’t be embarrassed.”
She continues, “Because this is a cancer that not a lot of people want to talk about. But it’s real and we need to talk about it, and we do need that help. So talk to your family and your friends and your faith community, and get that network together so they can support you and be there for you.”
‘Faith, Family, and Friends’ Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment
More Inspiration for Cancer Warriors
Jeremy Renner is an amazing example of resilience. Sometimes hearing stories like his can help people faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges like cancer move forward with bravery and strength.
And if inspiration is what you need, SurvivorNet has you covered. Time and time again, we get to get to share stories of resilience because there’s no shortage of brave cancer warriors holding onto hope in the face of adversity and achieving amazing things.
Charged The Eduardo Garcia Story is an award-winning SurvivorNetTV documentary following chef Eduardo Garcia’s incredible journey overcoming testicular cancer.
SurvivorNetTV Presents: ‘Charged’ Setbacks Help Chef Discover Meaning and Connection
Garcia was on a hunting and fishing trip through the Montana backcountry in 2011 when he stumbled upon what he thought were the remains of a bear in a tin can that ended up being an old electrical junction box. When he attempted to remove its claw with his knife, he received an extremely severe electrical shock of 2400 volts. He lost an arm and nearly his life.
But his health struggles didn’t stop there. At the hospital, doctors also found that Garcia had testicular cancer. He needed to start chemotherapy immediately before beginning reconstructive surgeries.
Thankfully, Garcia beat the disease and has since returned to cooking up some delectable eats using a prosthetic arm. He’s a true warrior at heart who’s happy to be in remission and grateful for the people who helped to get him there.
“Everyone that has encouraged me, and supported me, and forgiven me, and held me accountable has brought me to today and how I make my life moving forward,” he said.
Another inspiring cancer warrior SurvivorNet has gotten to know is Lilly Bumpus. She’s a pediatric cancer survivor who was born with Ewing sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that is often found in children and young adults.
All before she turned one, Bumpus underwent intense rounds of chemotherapy and had some of her bones removed from her chest wall. Thankfully, those efforts were successful, and she’s still in remission today, though chemotherapy has left her with lasting side effects like bone deformation.
As if kicking cancer’s butt wasn’t enough, she’s also beaten the Girl Scout cookie sales record for most boxes sold in a single season. She sold more than 32,000 boxes of cookies this year despite operating in a world ensnared by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My favorite thing about Lilly is that she never gives up,” her mother, Trish, previously told SurvivorNet. “So, Lillybug got to 10,000 boxes one week into Girl Scout cookie season. Never, ever has that happened. So we went from there. I then approached Girl Scouts and said, ‘What happens now if she sells 20,000 boxes?’ And they said, ‘20,000 boxes, yeah, okay.’ So we said, ‘Game on.’ So then we sold on and sold on, and she got into 20,000 boxes.”
“And then we went to 32,000,” added Lilly.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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