Rise up
The last few years of my life have been a like a rollercoaster but I have been the one pushing that rollercoaster back up the tracks. Life is not an easy thing to navigate but it is at those low times when it is most important to rise up and fight again.
It is important to remember that although you may feel down and tired of battling against what has been brought against you, another opportunity has arisen to prove that you are worth being here.
Doubting about why you are here on this earth may creep up during times of uncertainty. Being self-motivated and determination are strengths which can pull you through any situation but it sometimes takes a lot of courage to get to those states of self-belief.
I have learned that it really important to surround yourself with people who are supportive, show love and respect your feelings. It is those people who can help you through tough times and allow you to believe again.
Last year, I realised that it is important to embrace who you are and stand up for that. In the past, I have not done this and just tried to get along with things in life. The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement had given me the courage to step up and confront established norms and systems that we have had in place for far too long.
This has driven me to connect with and convince people to look within their organisations and strive for change through equity. To re-address the balance in our establishments and find ways in which we can develop initiatives, educate our peers and collectively find ways to help each other rise up.
As I seek to understand those around me and how they feel about situations which have driven them down, I also try to understand where they find the energy to come back and try again. There will always be situations and people that will give your reasons to doubt yourself and make you feel as if you are not good enough. I have been made to feel like this many times in my life through harsh words or situations I have been put in.
This can make your mind brittle and sometimes lead to paths you never thought you would walk down. It is at those very low moments you either fall off that path into dangerous waters or get up and climb up that mountain and breathe again.
As I start to climb up another mountain this year, there will be moments of doubt and fear but to overcome those obstacles I need to lean on lessons learned and experiences shared by others. It is only through true encouragement from others that you can push past those those moments and strive for what you believe you can really do.