I came across Myra’s powerful story of overcoming adversity from a difficult history of surviving abuse, foster care, and toxic relationships. Myra has suffered from PTSD, hit rock bottom and at one point lost the desire to live. What really resonated with me was what she did next, the incredible strength and courage it must have taken and how one inspiringly brave decision changed the course of her life forever.

Myra is a survivor in every sense of the word. Her story is truly remarkable, and I hope you find it as inspiring as I did.

Guest post by Myra Van Ry

I’ll never forget that day; the day I almost lived my last day. It was a beautiful day in March, the tree that stood outside of my apartment was beginning to show its buds. All I could think about was how everything around me was coming to life on that spring day, but I was dying inside my heart.

I thought back on my life and how from the second I was conceived life was out to destroy me. My mother practiced extensive drug use during her pregnancy with me. I was born healthy despite it. I was place into foster care at the age of 3. In the foster homes I began being molested by multiple people. I also experienced physical and emotional abuse from the homes I was in. After 5 years, I was finally adopted but I began being sexually abused by my adopted father. I kept it a secret for 3 years before he ended up getting caught. The following 5 years were miserable as I was constantly questioned, shamed, had my body inspected for court documentations and went to endless court hearings.

By the time I was 20 I had developed PTSD, but I didn’t know it yet. I thought I was just losing my mind. I would lie in bed at night unable to sleep. I would just lie there and cry. I didn’t even know why I was crying. I just knew that something deep inside of me was broken. This went on for months until that spring day in March.

I sat for hours frozen in place prepared to take my life. I thought of all the terrible things that I’d been through. I thought that the answer to the end of my pain was in ending my life. I don’t know what made me think it, but I thought to myself that if I’d made it this far through so many things, how could I end it all now? I had to allow myself to try and have at least 1 year that I allowed myself to be truly happy with my life for once. So, I promised myself that for 1 more year I would persevere through life. I promised that I’d deal with that year as if it were my last.

So, I packed my things and left behind the toxic relationship I was in at the time. I didn’t know where I was going but I packed my clunky car up and drove away. I began traveling around my country and I began learning how to do things without other people. It was so hard yet so rewarding. I didn’t know that in the process of living my last year that I would fall in love with life….

I learned how to love my own company and how to be patient with myself. I learned that the darkest moments don’t define the rest of this beautiful life. Since that day almost 8 years ago now, I’ve seen myself become so much stronger. I’ve gotten to laugh and eat food with total strangers all over the place. I’ve seen beautiful sights and fallen in love with a wonderful human. Oh, what a tragedy if I had missed all those beautiful moments that were meant to be mine because of unkind souls who sought to steal my joy as a child.

Your life is beautiful, whoever you are that’s reading this. I hope you never forget that. I hope you cling onto the light inside you and that you learn to fall in love with yourself and see the beauty in the darkest of times. Never give up hope. Go travel the world and see for yourself the beauty around you and inside your heart. Don’t let anyone rob you of the beautiful moments yet to be yours. ♥️

More about Myra

My name is Myra. I had a crazy childhood filled with abuse, neglect, foster homes and being brainwashed in a cult after I was adopted at the age of 8. The journey hasn’t been easy but I’m 27 now and I’m happy and thriving. What happened to me doesn’t define me anymore, but I like to share it to empower other women to keep fighting for their happiness. When I’m not sharing about my childhood, I like to read, travel and write. I’m currently in college and I have big aspirations of being on a pharmaceutical research team one day to develop new medications that will help cure diseases. I currently reside in the sunny state of Florida, USA with my husband and our dog West.

Instagram: @alexandravanry