The wonderings of Me, SpaggyB

Its said that the very basic instinct that all living creatures have is the instinct to survive. But what does surviving actually encompass? Many will say that survival is all about being alive. Keeping your heart pumping and your body healthy, maintain vital signs all that jazz. And yeah, i guess that is the basic definition.
There is so much more to survival than physical life.
In order to survive a day, for example, people have to stay alive (ie not die) and they have to overcome problems. Most people have to deal with stress and strain, pressure, difficult choices, annoyances, depression, losses, gains etc. And isn't dealing with these things the same as surviving them? Maybe, or maybe the word surviving is too strong. So lets be specific.
When someone is faced with something that threatens who they are as person. Such as when a dramatic change or a horrible emotional hurt that affects every aspect of their life. Or when something happens to put a person under incredible amounts of stress. Or when something really depressing happens in a persons life. Can dealing with things of this magnitude, and being able to maintain identity, therefore be called survival?
We are all shaped by what we are exposed to. From the very instant of birth, we are influenced by what we see, what we hear, what those around as do. Then, at some stage during our life, we develop a general personality, and an identity. Doesn't it then make sense that if something life-altering occurs, then our identity can again be influenced? Is it then survival to overcome a life-altering or an extreme emotionally challenging occurrence while maintaining the identity we shaped for ourselves previously?
If so, then someone write me an emotional obituary note <3