Linda Rooney aka Mali

1. That being childless was not a reflection of my worth, and that I have nothing to prove

2. That I would learn many things from adversity; some good, some bad, all useful

3. That finding joy in little everyday things can be a lifesaver

4. That what people say to you or about you says so much more about them than it does about you

5. That it is okay to be vulnerable, and to surrender to loss to allow new hope to grow

6. That I need to take care of myself

7. That there is no Next Big Thing, just life, and that’s enough, and can be wonderful

8. That honest self-reflection is life-changing; writing online was my way of doing that out loud

9. That all these things add up to resilience, but being resilient doesn’t mean we don’t hurt, and being strong doesn’t mean we don’t feel weak

10. That I will be okay, even when unexpected horrible things happen. That knowledge (or at this stage, hope at least) is giving me strength following the recent death of my husband.