The Courage to Be Yourself

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Blindness is part of my identity. For years, I tried to deny it or minimize its influence on my life. But the truth is, my blindness has shaped me in ways I cannot ignore. It has helped build my resilience, shape my career, and fostered many of my closest relationships.

My family played a huge role too. My parents modeled resilience, kindness, and compassion—and expected the same from us. Those lessons stuck, and they are still the foundation of who I am.

But here’s something I’ve wrestled with: I want everyone around me to be happy. I want people to like me. I spend a lot of energy worrying, trying to make everything work for everyone. And honestly, sometimes I’m just trying to gather the courage to take the next step myself.

As I have grown older, I’ve realized how important it is to live authentically, and to be real about how hard things can be. I have stop pretending I have got it all figured out—because the truth is, none of us do. We are all walking through this life together, trying to make sense of it one day at a time.
And for me, my faith in God has been the anchor. It has carried me through uncertainty, fear, and doubt. Without my faith and hope in God, I don’t know how I would have kept going.

Being myself—blindness, courage, faith, resilience, and the everyday challenges, is not easy. But it is the only way to live a life that truly matters.

“Sometimes hope is the only plan we have left.” -Sylvia Stinson-Perez

Your turn: self-reflection and action
•       Who are you?
•       What are the driving forces that shaped your identity?

Take some time to reflect. Write it down.
Share it with someone close to you.
The more we live authentically, the more space we create for others to do the same.