If you had asked me where I thought I would be as an adult when I was twelve-years-old, my answer, with full, unwavering confidence, would have been simple: dead. To the average person, this claim is quite alarming. But to my insecure, isolated, depressed, and hopeless pre-pubescent self, this was a sad reality I was forced to live with every day of my adolescence. Growing up as transgender in a world that often rejects my mere existence left me to fend for myself from a very young age. Having only myself to count on in times of need, I was unknowingly conditioning my brain to acquire a key concept that most individuals don't master until much later on in life - resiliency.

Resilience, for my younger self, equated with survival. If I was not resilient, I would be at the brunt of bullying and constant harassment. The inner conflict I was battling was enough on my plate and any social injustice would've been too much to handle so young. Like this, there have always been obstacles in the way of simple goals that the typical cisgender person doesn't even think about. Being trans, it's like living with a rock in your shoe for your entire life; you just assume everyone is always a little bit uncomfortable all the time too. After realizing that it's not normal to feel that way, that there was an actual problem weighing down on my mental health, I quickly learned that I needed to be resilient in order to survive. I'd witnessed it happen with others like me, and I knew home couldn't be a safe space for me either. In this way, resilience gave me the gift of surviving in a time where society would not allow me to live in peace.

Unlike other skills, resilience is not easy to obtain. It's acquired through trauma that forces a person into overcoming and adapting, regardless of whatever atrocious battles they may be facing inside. For me, I became resilient through creative writing. Writing gives me the opportunity to express myself and the way I'm feeling without forcing me into a vulnerable state. It's akin to therapy, being able to portray repressed emotions - but at arm's length. It doesn't feel so scary that way, but still allows me to work through my struggles. Since my writing reflects so much of myself, my characters often end up harboring qualities that are a reflection of my emotions. The relentless anxietities and overwhelming fear of judgment one character has is an example of how much of my identity I portray through my work. If I had not learned how to be resilient when I had, I never would have found the success I have today.

Writing my first book when I was 14, I've now completed a total of six books before turning 18. I was also invited to work for Wattpad where I'm able to create creative writing content I love. Similarly, I'm the current Editor-in-Chief of my school newspaper and Copy Editor of the Yearbook. Younger me didn't think I had the strength to even be here this long, so to witness the achievements I've made and battles I've overcome has been an unfathomably rewarding experience. Resilience is what brought me to this place, and while it may be a result of childhood trauma and bigoted ideologies ingrained within society, instead of letting it drag me down, I've learned to use it as my superpower instead.