I had just taken a new job. A 22-year-old waiting tables -- living in my head, scheming for the future. My plan was to save money, move to Thailand and go on an adventure. Fifteen minutes before walking through the doors of the restaurant, my cardiologist called me.

Psychologists studying post-traumatic growth find that many people come to thrive in the aftermath of adversity.

All of us face trials in our lives. How can you respond to your crucible to transform your deep feelings of loss -- which are real and natural -- into opportunities for personal growth?

An extraordinarily stressful experience, such as war captivity in early adulthood, can reverberate throughout a lifetime and influence later well-being, but many factors shape the outcome.