I had a friend who had been making sexual comments and harassing me in my place of work. I stood up to him, cut things off, and told a superior about the situation.

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this!

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My daughter is an addict, I will not enable her.

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I have been actively deciding to find courage every day. To find the courage to be my authentic self. This phrase gets tossed around a lot these days, but how do we find who our authentic self really is? Especially surrounded by the pressures of our culture to look a certain way, remain small, and just grin and bear it. All within systems that oppress certain bodies and prioritIze rich hetero white cis male able bodies. I have been on a journey to reclaim myself consistently for the last five years, but it started way before that. The pandemic helped to spur this deep inner inquiry with questions of "am I essential?" and "what is my value, if I'm not able to do my job?" I find my courage daily in the most simple way: protecting and prioritizing my time to be quiet with just myself and whatever bubbles up in my mental, emotional and physical bodies.
"Whatever arises, love that" - Matt Kahn
When I make time to sit with whatever is grabbing my attention, the more I listen to all the deeper parts of myself that have learned to wear a mask and remain small, the more trust those parts have that I will be able to have courage to give them what they need most. Sometimes - a lot of times - it's simple things, like being in nature, moving my body, hydrating, eating foods that don't irritate my system, seeking help, creating art, disconnecting from screens, connecting with my friends, family or community, or the simplest of all: resting. All of these simple acts help me find the courage daily to listen to where my heart is pulling me, to know the next right action to take, to be brave to speak the wisdom that resides within me or set a boundary, to use to my intuition the more I tune in, to use my analytical skills to make a road map to my goals, to allow my playful self to dance or create art and to listen deeply to my physical body before it has to scream at me.
It takes courage to truly be with all parts of myself and listen. The grief, the pain, the rage, the shame, the insecurity are there with the joy, optimism, pride, excitement and strength. When I give time for each part, I build trust in my whole self. I come to my center, my zero-point and from there all is possible.

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The day I left my marriage. I know that I had gave them everything that was in me. Two dumb young kids got married, two traumatized adults ruined it. I remember laying on my bathroom floor begging for the universe to tell me what to do. It clicked into place. I got up off the floor, washed my face and crawled into bed.
I left him 2 months later. When he asked me what we could do. I told him, I can forgive you all I want, but I don’t think I can forget what’s happened anymore.
It lead me to one of the most fulfilling and drastically different life.

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But courage… courage changes everything. It doesn’t erase the fear, but it gives you the strength to stand tall in it anyway.

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True strength isn’t proven in arguments or applause. It’s revealed when no one is watching, when compassion outweighs ego. Helping those who once opposed you isn’t weakness, it’s courage. And in a divided world, those quiet acts of mercy echo the loudest.

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Eighteen year old Karen had no real plans when she graduated from high school. Most of her friends had found colleges and universities to attend in the fall, and while that sounded fine, it didn't seem to be in the cards for this Karen, even though she had taken the SAT (because it was what everyone was doing). Then for whatever reason, Karen discovered in mid-August when Old Dominion University, one closest to home, was taking registrations so she decided to walk into a very large and strange building, by her self, to do just that - to register for fall classes. I'm not sure if it was bravery or complete ignorance, but what I do know is that it led to the most exciting and challenging four-year educational experience I could ever even dream of, and it set me up for a life filled with confidence, a can-do attitude, and the idea that I can do anything I set my mind to.

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I had the courage to get sober and the courage to stay sober.

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"I walked through fire and came out not just alive—but unbreakable."

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I grew up moving in and out of foster care from the time I was born. Life wasn’t easy — I had a younger brother and sister who looked up to me, so I had to find the courage to be strong for them. There were days we didn’t know where our next meal would come from. Days we went to school hungry, our clothes unwashed, but still determined to show up. That took courage.
As I entered my teenage years, I had to find a new kind of courage — the courage to believe in a future that looked nothing like my past. Courage and faith became my foundation; they were the only things that helped me rise above the pain and uncertainty of where I came from.
Today, I’m proud to say I’m a wife, a mother, sister and friend. I worked my way up the corporate chain. I am proof that where you start doesn’t define where you finish. My journey is a testament to the power of courage, faith, and perseverance.

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One warm night during February I heard an accident on the main road by my house. I ran out and a young man was laying on the ground with a river of blood pouring from the side of his head against the concrete. His helmet and motorcycle were quite a few yards away from him. With oncoming traffic I ran to his side and fearlessly put my hand on his side. Thankfully he was breathing and I just talked to him with a calm voice to tell him help was here and coming. I never would have thought in that scenario I had the ability to do that. I pray for him and his family daily.But I did prove to myself that I have courage and strength to approach unforeseen hardships and tragedies.

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I was only seventeen when I became a wife. My new husbandwas sent to Vietnam almost immediately, and I was left behind, still living
under the roof of my parents. But it wasn’t a safe home. My stepfather, who had
spent years breaking me down with cruelty and abuse, ripped the phone right out
of the wall the night my husband called me from Vietnam. In the 1970s, those
calls were rare and precious. That moment broke something inside me—and it also
woke up my courage.

That night, I walked out of that house with no plan, nosafety net, and no idea what came next. I moved in with my in-laws, strangers
to me at the time. I could have let fear swallow me, but instead, I found my
strength. I worked two jobs. I kept myself going for the full year my husband
was overseas. And to my own surprise, I didn’t just survive—I learned how
strong I was.

When he finally came home, he was a stranger to me. We hadto fall in love all over again, and we did. We carved out a life together with
almost nothing—poor in money, but rich in resilience. Somehow, we stayed
married for forty-five years. We raised two daughters, built a family, and
created a life together brick by brick.

But there came a point when courage meant something new. Itmeant looking beyond just surviving paycheck to paycheck and daring to believe
I could create something better. I was brave enough to start my own business,
even when I didn’t have the security or the safety net most people think you
need. I took a chance on myself. It wasn’t easy—I had no guarantees, no map to
follow, and plenty of reasons to doubt. But I pressed forward. That leap of
faith turned into a company that not only supported my family but gave me
purpose, pride, and a way out of simply “getting by.” Courage gave me a life
where I could thrive, not just survive.

And then came another kind of courage—the kind where youcan’t fix anything, only endure. I held my husband’s hand as he fought lung
cancer and left this world, leaving me alone once more. My heart broke again
when I had to bury my beautiful daughter after her battle with breast cancer.
Those moments tested me in ways I can hardly put into words. But each time, I
chose to keep going.
Looking back, I sometimes wonder how I did it all. But Iknow the truth: life demands courage. Over and over, it asks us to take the
next step even when we don’t know where the road leads.

I was brave at seventeen when I walked out that door. I wasbrave when I rebuilt a marriage, when I built a home, when I held my loved ones
through their final days. I was brave when I built a business to change the
course of my family’s future. And I am brave still, carrying on, because in the
end, courage is not about one great act—it is about finding the strength to
take the next step, no matter what.

THE FOLLOWING STORIES WERE SHARED BY THE SAMARITAN HOUSE, REAL STORIES OF DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS

Leslie, 78

I recently opened up to my granddaughter that I had been inan abusive relationship for 25 years and that her mother was born from that
marriage. My granddaughter is 15 and starting to date. It took everything I had
to share my experience with her, but I was determined to not have her fall into
the same trap I fell into. I could tell it was hard for her, too. Your
grandmother telling you something so personal and making herself so vulnerable.
You’re supposed to be the strong one, the matriarch. But that day, both of us
grew closer and I felt better knowing my story would stay with her in her own
relationships.

Tamara, 21

I said no. I said it again. But he didn’t stop. My boyfriendhad me by the hair and I couldn’t escape. I thought this was the end. By some
miracle, I fled down the stairs and out the door. But I had nothing. I was
taken to Samaritan House where I received food, clothing, and shelter. They
helped me get a copy of my driver’s license I couldn’t grab when I fled. I was
sleeping in a strange bed. This was all new to me. Every day, I put one step in
front of the other. I made it, one day at a time. Over the course of a few
months, I could finally breathe again. I found in myself the courage to not
just thrive but survive. I haven’t looked back since.

Shelly, 23

I didn’t think I could face my abuser in court. It was toodifficult, too traumatizing. But I had help. My victim advocate gave me the
strength to be brave. We walked into that courtroom side by side. I stared my
abuser in the face and said, no more. No more abuse. No more tears. That was
the day I found my voice. That was the first day I felt brave. I had the
courage to do it, and I didn’t have to do it alone.

Dawn, 44

Being a woman in the corporate world can be challenging. Iwould often second-guess myself or keep totally quiet in the first place. It’s
not that I didn’t think my ideas were valid; I just didn’t think others would
take them seriously. Let’s call it what it was: I was afraid. One day, I got
the courage to speak up for a position I felt passionate about. My voice shook.
I wringed my hands. My foot tapped nervously on the floor. But I said the
words. I spoke up. To my surprise, I was met with agreement and we took that
direction, all because I didn’t stay quiet in the shadows. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
was right- speak up even if your voice shakes.

Jane, 50

I met the love of my life when I was in grad school. Butsoon it turned into Dr. Jeckell and Mr. Hyde. I stopped going to class
regularly, which is frowned upon in grad school. I was on the verge of dropping
out altogether when the school’s counselor sat me down and told me how strong I
was. I didn’t believe her. I let this happen. I let him throw things and
verbally abuse me. But she believed in me. Someone who she barely knew! It’s
not your fault, she said. Again, she told me how strong I was… how strong I AM.
She lifted me up and I left my boyfriend. I finished grad school after all and
have her to thank. I don’t even remember her name or if I said thank you, it
was all a blur. But she saved my life.

Shawna, 6

My dad is mean sometimes. He yells and shouts and I don’tlike it. One time he grabbed my mommy and pushed her. I cried. Stop! I don’t
know why he did that, but it scared me. One day, my mommy said we were leaving.
I didn’t even get to pack my favorite stuffed animal Ralph. That made me sad.
What happened? Was it daddy? Where were we going? Mommy didn’t answer, but she
was crying. That made me sad, too. She told me to be a brave little girl. I
could do that. I could be brave! I had to switch school and make all new
friends. That was hard, but I did it! I met Keisha who is really nice. She
shares her dessert with me sometimes at lunch. I like her a lot. I sometimes
miss my dad. But I know when I go home I’m safe and my mom is safe because we
are both brave.