The First Time I Won

The first time I won something significant in my life. It's a story about persistence and believing in yourself.

The Little Girl Who Wouldn't Take No for an Answer

When I was very young, I got it into my head that I wanted to be part of the school chorus. I went to a Catholic school where the church had a school chorus that would sing during important Masses.

I was the kind of girl who didn't have many friends in school. I mostly kept to myself, which made me feel so out of place. Joining the chorus gave me anxiety but also excitement. I already knew back then that I loved singing. Singing was something I wanted to be part of my life, so joining the school chorus was my only opportunity to pursue it at that point in my life. Being part of the chorus also made me feel like I belonged somewhere, giving me a sense of community I didn't have elsewhere.

Between the ages of five and seven, I approached the choir director and asked to join. I remember insisting that I wanted to be part of it, and I wouldn't take no for an answer. They kept refusing me, but I kept coming back. Eventually, the chorus director took pity on me and said, "Okay, come join the chorus." I attended choir sessions and sang in the school chorus until I graduated and went to high school.

Lessons from My Younger Self

Sometimes I forget about that determined little girl who went after what she wanted. I hold myself back from doing things I need to do for myself. It only takes remembering that there was a point in my life when limitations didn't matter—when I tried even after hearing "no." Yes, I cried every time she said no because rejection hurts, but at the end of the day, I stood back up, moved on, and tried again.

We often expect to succeed on the first try. When we fail, we give up and add that experience to a long list of losses, developing the mentality that we're going to lose anyway, so why try?

But when you fight for the win and succeed, you feel better about yourself. You can say, "I wanted this. I worked hard for this. I'm disciplined enough to put in the time, prepare, and show up for myself." Unfortunately, this isn't something we typically teach ourselves or are taught to do. Instead, we're conditioned to obey that limiting part of ourselves that stops us from living the life we want.

The Journey to Self-Worth

I've always believed, deep down, that I was destined for greatness. But I made myself believe I shouldn't aspire to be the best version of myself. Sometimes greatness is just discipline and a "no matter what" mentality. I thought, "Why would anybody listen to what I have to say? Why would somebody choose me over all the other options available?" But the real question was actually: why would I choose myself above all my limitations and fight back?

It's taking me time to remember my worth. I accept that recognizing the value I bring will probably be a lifelong battle, and I can't wait for someone else to remind me of my value—I have to do it for myself.

I choose to change now and become a different version of myself. I can be anything I set my mind to, but I need to remind myself that I'm worthy of it. It doesn't matter how many times I've lost; I've also won just as often. It's okay to be afraid because I have big dreams, and I deserve those dreams simply because I exist. I may not have what I want right now, but if I keep persisting, eventually I'll see the results I want.

Embracing My Emotions

It's not worth crying about love never finding me when love has always been inside me, guiding me through life's shadows. Life isn't always pretty—it hasn't been for me. I've faced many challenges, including the limitations of the situation I was born into. But I won't let that stop me anymore. I have to find a way forward, which means working on myself more than I have until now, making bettering myself a priority.

I have strong emotions—emotions I feel in my body and mind, emotions that affect my energy and can pull me down. I accept that's part of me. One of my most powerful attributes is how I can feel deeply and transform those feelings into something positive.

Lately, I've been learning about my emotions and trying to understand them. Emotions aren't always logical. I try to understand their root and determine if what triggers them is actually true. You can take power away from an emotion by recognizing when it's based on something false. When I have evidence that contradicts a negative feeling, I can say "That's nonsense" and get back on track.

Moving Forward

Getting stuck in negative feelings seems easy, but we don't believe it's possible to overcome them. What matters is which direction you choose to move in life. Any direction requires sacrifice, so you might as well do what you need to do the right way.

Stack your wins. Forget about the past. Build new memories and a new version of yourself. I'm working on it. It's going to be difficult—there will be tears in the coming years. But if you choose to put in the work and show up consistently, eventually you'll see how things change.

Looking back at my journey, I'm reminded that my greatest victories came not from natural talent or luck, but from persistence. That girl who wouldn't take no for an answer taught me the most valuable lesson of my life: persistence trumps perfection.

Every time we face rejection or failure, we have a choice. We can either let it define us and retreat into our comfort zone, or we can use it as fuel to push harder toward our goals. The latter is where true growth happens.

I'm learning to celebrate my persistence more than my accomplishments. The wins will come and go, but the ability to keep showing up—especially when it's difficult—is what builds character and ultimately leads to lasting success.

So this is my reminder to you, and to myself: Be like that little girl. Ask again. Try a different approach. Show up one more time. The chorus of your life is waiting for your voice, and only you can decide whether you'll sing or remain silent.