written by: Abigail Sams, Fear 2 Freedom Development Coordinator
Growing up, one of my favorite movies was Disney’s Mulan. She was strong, fierce, beautiful, and different. Not only did she save China, but she also showed her family, her country, and all of us watching that a woman can do anything she sets her mind to. That is enough to make this one of my favorite movies, but what stood out to me was how Mulan carried herself: She was unapologetically unique, especially in the face of adversity. She questioned a woman’s role in society, fought for her loved ones, and never gave up… even when everyone told her to.
Within my life, there are a few challenges that I am learning to navigate and trying to overcome. I recently graduated from Christopher Newport University in December, and am now living off-campus, working at a steady, salary-paying job. That is enough change to make me a little weary. On top of that, there are the constant daily stressors of bills to pay, the pressure to perform well at my job, and handling all of the emotions that come with change. Amidst that entire mess, I am still the same me.
I am strong and resilient and will overcome these challenges just as I have conquered challenges in the past. There is power in knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing what you can handle. I know what my rock bottom is, and I am determined to never reach it again.
But what does that look like? Nearly everyone I know has gone through similar emotional uncertainty. More importantly, survivors go through this too, often unnoticed by people around them. Survivors, and many others, suffer in silence because of the circumstances they are in, or simply because others do not understand how to listen. Human beings tend to be focused on themselves, which results in people being blind or ignorant of other people’s pain. In the midst of all of that, how do we stand tall while we are struggling?
My answer is simple - know your worth, then add tax! That phrase has been on more mugs than I can count, but that is because it is true. Now, this is not to say that you should have an over-inflated ego, but that you should give yourself your well-earned credit. No one knows your story, no one has ever walked a mile in your shoes. Only you know what you have said, done, held back, overcome, and grown through. Remember that, especially when faced with a challenge, draw on your resilience and have faith in yourself that you will overcome this too.
As I wade through everything on my plate, I have learned to stand tall in who I know myself to be. Regardless of what has happened in the past, the characteristics I treasure about myself have not wavered. I am still the same woman who would give all of my love, time, and energy to others. I still love tea, a trashy novel, anything chocolate, and genuinely kind people. All of these things are true, even when I am fighting, even when I feel like I have had enough, and even when the burden feels too heavy.
It can be hard to keep your head up on difficult days, especially the ones where nothing goes your way. On those days when I need some encouragement, I pull out that old Mulan DVD to remind myself of one of the best lessons I have ever learned -
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”