What Anne Shirley Taught Me About Resilience

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The Power of a Scrappy, Red-Headed Dreamer

Anne Shirley was my first glimpse of resilience in story form. I met her on the page as a wide-eyed 11-year-old, nose deep in Anne of Green Gables. I was instantly drawn in by her fiery spirit, ridiculous vocabulary, and relentless imagination.

Now, decades later, I see her through older eyes. I’m a 51-year-old woman with stretch marks and laugh lines. I’ve raised kids, lost loved ones, questioned everything, and rebuilt more than once. And I can say this with my whole heart: Anne Shirley still teaches me how to begin again.

Growing Through the Cracks

Anne was a girl who came from nothing. No family, no fancy clothes, no stability. She was passed from house to house like a forgotten coat. And yet, she never stopped hoping. She never stopped imagining better. She brought color to even the bleakest days.

There’s something powerful about that kind of hope. Anne didn’t have the luxury of ease. What she had was grit, imagination, and a stubborn refusal to be ordinary.

She reminds me that resilience isn’t about never falling apart. It’s about growing through the cracks.

Mistakes, Mishaps, and the Gift of Grace

Remember the raspberry cordial mix-up? Or the time she dyed her hair green? Anne made big, messy mistakes. But she didn’t let them define her. She cried. She got mad. Then she tried again.

There’s a lot of pressure, especially for women over 40, to “have it all together.” But Anne shows us that life is not about perfection. It’s about showing up with your whole self, mistakes and all.

Resilience doesn’t come from doing everything right. It comes from giving yourself grace, learning the lesson, and moving forward anyway.

The Importance of Kindred Spirits

Anne knew the value of people who saw her. Matthew and Marilla didn’t just give her a home. They gave her a place to belong. Diana gave her the joy of friendship. Gilbert gave her growth and challenge.

Resilience doesn’t mean doing life alone. Anne shows us the quiet strength in letting others love us through our growing pains. She teaches us to look for kindred spirits and to be one when someone else needs hope.

Who are your kindred spirits? Call them. Text them. Thank them.

Finding Beauty Even on the Worst Days

One of the things I love most about Anne is how she finds beauty in small things. The shimmer on the lake. The bend in a birch tree. A puffed sleeve. A book of poems. A good cry followed by a better laugh.

That kind of noticing is its own kind of resilience. It means that even when life is hard, joy still lives here.

Anne reminded me to make tea when I feel overwhelmed. To light a candle just because. To put on lipstick for a solo grocery run. To wear a tiara while folding laundry. Because beauty and whimsy are not silly. They’re survival tools.

“Tomorrow is a New Day with No Mistakes in It”

That line has carried me through more hard days than I can count. It is pure Anne. Full of softness and steel.

Life hands us losses. Jobs end. Marriages break. Children leave home. Health fails. Friends move. Plans shift.

But each day, we wake up with the same chance Anne had. A blank slate. A new start. A breath of hope.

Resilience doesn’t mean nothing hurts. It means we believe in the next morning.

What Anne Gave Me, and What I Want to Give You

Anne Shirley taught me that I don’t need to be fearless. I just need to keep showing up. To hold on to wonder. To cry when it hurts and laugh when it feels good. To chase joy even when the world says to settle down.

She taught me that resilience can wear puffed sleeves and daydreams and still be strong as iron.

If you’re reading this, maybe you’re in a chapter where things feel heavy. Or maybe you just forgot what it’s like to sparkle. Either way, let me pass on what Anne gave me:

You are allowed to start over.
You are not too much.
You are still becoming.
And you are deeply loved.

It’s not what the world takes from you. It’s what you do with what’s left.

Anne Shirley (or honestly, every strong woman you know)

If Anne’s story has ever meant something to you, I’d love to hear about it. Hit reply or leave a comment and tell me your favorite Anne moment or quote. You can also print out a Permission Slip for Joy below to keep close on the hard days. (I think Anne would totally approve!)

Need a little more sparkle?

Here’s a link to my cozy, whimsical Pinterest board: Anne of Green Gables Quotes and Aesthetic
Or curl up with this post next: 10 Tiny Ways to Sparkle More Every Day

Remember:

Resilience doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it giggles. Sometimes, it puts on a flower crown. Sometimes, it reads the same comforting book for the tenth time.

Anne taught me that.

And I’ll never stop being grateful.

🌸