TW: Mention of Suicidal Tendencies
Life’s journey can be compared to a mountain climb. You need determination and courage to make it to the top, and some climbs are easier than others.
Here’s the story of Mayura, a strong and courageous woman whose journey was not a smooth one. Nonetheless, these obstacles never once stopped her from reaching her full potential and climbing to the very top of her mountain.
Mayura is a thirty-seven-year-old woman working as a pre-primary teacher. With a pouring love for nature, she has an adventurous spirit as she enjoys cycling, trekking, and fostering plants.
Till the age of nine, she had a wonderful, bright childhood. However, she started to face some struggles which had impacted her for a long time.
“I had a lot of difficulty with mathematics, and it impacted my self-esteem. I started thinking very negatively about myself and carried these thoughts all throughout my school life.”
Just as nature needs sunlight and water to blossom, our families play a similar role in our very own growth.
Mayura’s family constantly compared her to her brother, making her feel as if she could never match up to their expectations. There was a constant burden on her shoulders which led her to self-resentment.
“I started to hate the fact that I was a girl. I believed that it made me inferior, and I only began to associate myself with my male peers.”
Low self-esteem in a child is like a sapling struggling to grow in an environment that does not encourage any development. Mayura felt very isolated, especially from the women in her life, and closed herself off from the people around her.
Things had taken such a dark turn that she barely saw any light, and started to wonder if there was any purpose for her left.
As she grew older, these negative thoughts about herself seemed to grow like a weed, which was very difficult for her to filter out.
“After my marriage, I gave birth to a baby boy. Things became very stressful for me at home as I had constant pressure to manage both my work and my family duties.”
Mayura felt as if she had reached rock bottom. She believed that things just could not get better for her, and experienced very frequent thoughts of ending her life.
Knowing that this was not healthy for her, she decided to reach out for help. She found that her previous workplace, Majesco had a partnership with YourDOST and decided to book her first counseling session with Ms. Benita Lewis.
“I knew that my family would not be able to empathize with me so I decided to turn to therapy. With my counselor’s help, I truly felt like I could turn my life around.”
Ms. Benita was a pillar of support in Mayura’s life and helped build her self-worth by constantly reassuring her. Mayura also started to prioritize her own needs for the first time in her life by focusing on her personal goals.
“I decided to start my teaching career, and little did I know that this would help me turn my life around. I felt positive about the future, and it seemed like I truly found my calling.”
Keeping oneself busy is something that Ms. Benita emphasized for Mayura to rediscover that hope and passion for life that she once had. Mayura also adopted helpful techniques.
As a tree grows, it branches out in various directions, reaching for the sky. Similarly, Mayura grew into a more confident, positive, and powerful version of herself with a new lease on life.
“Though teaching young children was a challenge, it was extremely rewarding for me. Seeing the positive feedback from both my students and coworkers uplifted my confidence.”
The process of growth is defined by the experiences and challenges that we encounter along the way. Mayura stood against every challenge life threw at her, and chose to spread her branches out to a journey of healing.
She rates herself a 4 out of 5 in terms of feeling better and believes that she has a lot more to grow. We are beyond thrilled to see her blossom into the individual she is today!
Mayura’s Warrior Tips:
1. “Don’t be afraid to assert your own needs. Your personal growth is defined by how you choose to prioritize yourself.”
2.“Spend time in nature as often as you can since it truly helps you to recharge your energy.”
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