BY: Liz Hardie
She has always been told that failure is part of her success
Oftentimes, she feels she is being set up to fail
Thinking little of herself and refusing to see her worth
Thankfully, she has her daughters to inspire her, give her the courage and strength to prevail
Although her reactions, thoughts, behaviors, and emotions may all be driven by her past experiences
The influence of her past seems unconscious, allowing it to impact her future goals and decisions
Sexual Assault and Rape
Emotional, Physical and Psychological Abuse
The Use of Drugs and Alcohol to Ease Her Pain
Having an Eating Disorder
Her Life Has Been Threatened
Suicidal Ideations
Relationships with Abuse, Liars and Cheaters
Marriage Ending in Divorce
She has kept most of this a secret; life seemed easier that way
Through each of these trials and obstacles, she has felt like a failure
Never knowing which way to turn, she wondered if her life was worth fighting for
Seeing true love from her daughters, she realized to the evil she was an enabler
Her body never felt like her body
Used and abused by those undeserving of her
Frequently, her emotions and life were controlled by others
Told she was ugly or fat or tattoos were trashy
Her love, respect and actions were never enough
Her life, thoughts, and opinions never mattered
She was a prisoner in her own body, thoughts, and home
Failing in many ways, in her mind, she felt worthless
Then she became a mother, dedicating her life to her children
Fighting for their happiness, well-being, and success
This is where she became a warrior, the lioness
Raising and nurturing her daughters as an independent, working, single mother
Strong and confident
Having a purpose and meaning
Learning to forgive the evil, the haters, yet never forgetting
Struggling with body image every day
Eating normally, yet she does not enjoy food
Battling with depression and anxiety
Living with nightmares and sleep deprivation
Having minimal self-worth and self-respect
Yet every day she shows up, smiling, with a positive attitude
Those evil monsters did not break her; her life did not break her
Each moment of terror was a stepping stone to greatness
For her to become a better person, a better mother, a kinder human
Not always kind to herself, but kind to others
Everyone fights battles; some just hide them better
As many see her as happy, strong, and independent
She often sees herself as confused, weak, failing
As long as she continues to get up and rise, she is a success, not a failure
And each time she rises, her beautiful daughters smile and cheer her on
Just as she always loves and celebrates them, they love and celebrate her
Failure is part of her success
Teaching her strength, resilience, courage, value, growth, perseverance, and motivation