Braveness comes with Hardship

2020 was a turning point for me, for so many reasons… I have learned that we are the authors of our own stories and that we always have the power (and the courage) to rewrite chapters. It was a year of exploration of what I want to do next. And all of this prepared me for the hardest challenge in my life …

By Franci Moise

Exactly one year ago, during this period, when the pandemic started, I was just a 15-year-old girl with her head in the clouds. I didn’t know what I could do next or how I could spend that extra-time we all gained during the quarantine, in a more meaningful way. Everyone started with different activities like cooking, drawing, exploring Netflix series, etc. Of course, I was interested in all of this, but I also wanted something more, something to inspire me, regardless of this strange context. So, I started talking to a person who has achieved a lot in life (Lavinia), and who will continue to do so since she is always open to learning new things and listening to the stories of the people around her.

Actually it was not only talking, but learning more about myself, finding my own voice, my values, my mission in life and last, but certainly not least, my brave side😊. All of this helped me to face a very difficult moment in my life, at the end of last year. It all started as a trip with dear friends in a snowy and christmassy place and was perfect untill I hurt my leg and I finished that day in pain, frustration, dispear and guilt. Bassically, I couldn’t use my right leg any more, I went through a difficult knee operation, a  long and exhausting recovery (which is not over yet) – it was a journey with ups’ and downs’, but I made a choice (as I’ve learnt from Lavinia @Life Talent) to always look for the positive in any negative situation. This accident changed me and shaped me as a person, it helped me understand better certain things and realize that life is not always „pink and peaceful”, as I imagined it up until now.

I can’t deny that the experience was very painful, traumatic for me as well as for my parents who never imagined how critical this kind of accident can be and how much recovery is needed afterwards. The questions I kept asking myself were how did I end up in this situation and why me? Well, everything happens for a reason, something I didn’t understand back then, but now I can be proud of myself for truly understanding it.

Let me tell you a secret… My biggest fear is about doctors, but not just any doctors (not the doctors you go to see and after the appointment give you a candy to send you home happy), but the doctors who perform operations. I actually had to face this accute fear because of the accident and my big knee fracture.

To be honest, after my accident, I had a period of time in which I lost myself, I felt that life only went downwards… I noticed that I no longer had the determination & the motivation to do anything. I didn’t know how to continue and go back to normal, experience new things and live my life like a teenager again.

You know who helped me? Lavinia, yes, she showed me again that I am worth fighting for and motivated me so much, especially when I was down, fighting with fear and negative emotions. She created moodboards with all my qualities and strenghts, made me repeat them loud and clear, with pride and joy. She is so open and has this special positive energy („Magic dust a-la-Lavi”), she helped me understand if something was beneficial for me moving on or should be left in the past. She convinced me to believe in myself and recommended me many people I could talk to and many documentaries to watch, so I can stay inspired and motivated. And, at the end of our talks, she always left me with a smile on my face😊.

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To summarize, the start of the new year was difficult for me, but this positive mindset made me realize that this challenge brought me a lot of knowledge, new and unexpected experiences, new people and emotions, feelings, that I had never known in such detail before! I suddenly became aware of the courage I surprisingly gained. I can even say I was kinda courageous. No, wrong formulation I am courageous and always will be! This is such a complex word, I know, only by reading the definition in the dictionary you can get its true meaning.

Right now, I’m in my bed writing this blog story (I am still recovering). Who would have thought that I would ever do that?  I am not the most diligent or intelligent person, but I know for sure (also because of Lavinia), that I am a fighter for what I beleive in, a fighter who doesn’t give up her good fight till the end, when she comes out as a winner, aware and proud of everything she learnt along the way!

There are not so many things you can predict in life, but you can always relly on yourself. By working with yourself and understanding that you are the most  important person in your life, your main ally, you can overcome any obstacles. You know you have all the resources, braveness included, and the positive mindset to make the most out of any situation.

But do you know what matters more than courage and braveness? Well, admitting that you have courage. Beeing aware that you were brave, acknowledging that and being proud of yourself. This sentence has changed my entire perspective on the matter: “The ones who are very brave have fully embraced their vulnerability”. I always thought that just some of us have this special ability to be brave, but the fact is, you just have to start, take that first step without guarantees, and see where the road takes you – face the change with excitement, as an adventure!