Resilient by Nature

"A heaviness was once put upon our shoulders. The weight of fear, of shame, of sin. We were told to be timid. We were taught to sit still. We were captured, domesticated. Forced to feed, but forbidden to eat. Forced to give, but forbidden to receive. Forced to love, but starved of the chance to love ourselves. As daughters of this wild and most wonderful earth. Yet, here I stand today. I found this blood-red feather and will henceforth keep it close to my heart. For I am resilient, ready to spread my wings and fly." 

- Appels En Tee - Annie de Klerk

The Weight We Were Taught to Carry

“A heaviness was once put upon our shoulders…”

When I first heard these words, something ancient stirred in me. Not just recognition, but remembrance.

So many of us were raised beneath invisible weights we never chose. Fear passed down like heirlooms. Shame dressed up as discipline. Sin used as a leash rather than a teacher. We learned early that softness was dangerous, that stillness meant safety and that taking up space was something to apologise for.

We were taught to be good before we were taught to be whole.

Captured. Domesticated. Conditioned.

This piece speaks to a collective story - especially for women, healers, creatives and those walking the path of conscious leadership. We were encouraged to pour endlessly into others, yet subtly shamed for wanting nourishment ourselves. To give love freely, but never fully receive it. To care deeply, but never turn that same tenderness inward and over time, many of us forgot that self-love was not selfish - it was sacred.

Remembering Our Wild Origin

“As daughters of this wild and most wonderful earth…”

This line feels like a homecoming. Before the rules, before the silencing and before the shrinking.

We belong to the earth - cyclical, intuitive, fierce and wise. Our bodies remember this, even when our minds have been trained to forget. The restlessness we feel, the longing for more truth, more depth, more freedom - this is not rebellion - it is remembrance.

As a coach and as someone who walks alongside others awakening to their own leadership, I see this moment again and again:
The moment when a woman realises she is not broken - she is becoming.

The Feather as a Threshold

“Yet, here I stand today…”

This is where the poem turns. From history to presence. From burden to choice.

The blood-red feather is not just an object - it is a symbol: Of life force, of courage, of the sacredness of wounds survived and integrated. Red carries both pain and power. It reminds us that resilience is not about hardness - it is about aliveness.

To keep something close to the heart is an act of devotion. A declaration: I honour where I have been and I trust where I am going.

Ready to Fly

“For I am resilient, ready to spread my wings and fly.”

This is not the flight of escape - it is the flight of embodiment.

To spread your wings does not mean you are fearless - it means fear no longer gets to decide for you. It means you have learned how to receive, how to rest and how to love yourself without conditions.

If you are reading this and feeling something stir, know this:
You are not late, you are not behind, you are right on time and perhaps, like the feather, you are being invited to carry a symbol - visible or unseen - that reminds you of who you truly are...

Not domesticated, not diminished, but resilient, rooted and ready.

Coaching Reflection

As you reflect on this journey - from the weight we were taught to carry to the feather we now hold - you may notice a quiet truth: you already have the tools to rise. As a coach, one of the greatest gifts I can offer is the reminder to honour your resilience and consciously choose the life you were always meant to lead.

Take a moment today to notice one small way you can show up for yourself differently. Perhaps it’s saying “yes” to something that feeds your soul. Perhaps it’s setting a boundary that honours your energy or maybe it’s simply taking a deep breath and reminding yourself: I am enough! I am resilient! I am ready!

Reflection Exercise

Your Blood-Red Feather: Take a moment today to reflect and write down your own “blood-red feather” - a symbol of your resilience, courage and willingness to take up space in the world. Keep it close and let it remind you daily: you are not here to shrink, to be timid or to settle. You are here to rise.

Step Into Your Power 

If you’re ready to claim your wings fully and lead from a place of authenticity and self-love, I offer one-on-one coaching sessions. Together, we explore how to release the weights that no longer serve you and mindfully step into the freedom you were always meant to live, because you are not just surviving - you are meant to soar! - Silver Lining

With you on the journey,
– Storm Reagan
Life Coach | Lived Experience Guide