Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

 

  “I don't love you; I never will.” That's the sentence that kept spinning in my head. We all gathered around the living room as he was arguing with her.  He had said so many things about our family that made my ears bleed but that statement was when he brought my siblings and I into the argument. At that moment, with lack of compassion he yelled, “I don’t love you; I never will.”  I felt so heartbroken. We all started crying once those words came out of his mouth. I never thought that someone that meant so much to me would have the guts to say that. Having to hear that from him made me not want to love myself, it brought me down, and it made me not want to do anything.  Worst of all, I let him drag me down when I should have been strong and fighting through it.

  After this happened, I began to get into trouble at school and my grades dropped. I stopped caring. I did so many things that I knew my parents would be disappointed about and mad at me for. I had many arguments with my parents. I also had many suicidal thoughts and almost ended my life. But then, I made a change.

  One day when I was scrolling through Facebook, I read a quote, that will always be part of me: “F.E.A.R has two meanings- Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. The choice is yours.”  Thoughts raced through my head, asking if I really wanted to give up everything or if I wanted to face my challenges. It hit me, I couldn't give up. I wanted to show people that I could it and that I don't give up easily.  Reading this quote changed the way I saw myself and changed the way I acted around people in a positive way. I began to make a difference in this world and saw myself as a young, bright person that has a lot of potential in life. This experience made me have faith in myself and it made me realize that I have to love myself regardless of whether others do or not.

  Giving myself an empowering push of confidence, I was able to approach the world in a meaningful and purposeful way. Now, I’m able to see the true colors people show when they’re being themselves. I can handle a storm and come out stronger. Having confidence is redefining me. I'm using my voice with power and courage.  I'm making sure I’m at the top. I want to show others how to gain strength the way I did. I’m going to make sure I make my family proud by ending up with my future career, as a sports medicine physician or as someone in the medical field. I have learned that I was stronger than I thought I was. I have stood up for myself and I’m striving for what I want without people's opinions dragging me down.