Welcome to SayItForward.org
Where every woman & girl is encouraged to share her remarkably unique story of overcoming the fears, personal beliefs, or circumstances that have held her back in any way. We are grateful to the women & girls who have already shared their stories and invite you to read them.
We hope you will be willing to share one of your stories that highlights a breakthrough you have had in your journey to realizing how truly amazing you are.
Latest Stories
Being me
Hey meet me, I'm a girl born and raised in Sweden and I struggled throughout most of my life. I...
My father ruined my life.
Back in 2021, I had reached out to my father. He never reached out to me at all I had...
Girl in Chicago, Il
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, please be aware that it contains references to childhood sexual abuse and assault. 2008...
Afiya Shafiq (25) born and raised in the Netherlands, life as an Afghan and Russian girl
Dear person reading this, let me introduce myself! My name is Afiya Shafiq, 25 years old, born and raised in...
711 Heal My Hurts
Life’s storms ⛈️ may be unpredictable, but one ☝🏽 thing is for certain - the rainbow 🌈 will follow. Keep...
Accepted. Funded. Rejected.
I was born as one of six daughters in a South Sudanese polygamous family—where, from the very beginning, my worth...
The rest is still unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield was onto something when she released Unwritten. Staring at the blank page before you. Oof. It’s like a...
Born Too Close to the End
By B. A. ⸻ Chapter 1: The Womb of Death I came into the world fragile, almost nothing. My tiny...
Warriors Without Swords: The Unstoppable Power of Women
A woman is the full circle. Within her lies the power to create, nurture, and transform.” – Diane Mariechild A...
A letter to able-bodied people
Dear able-bodied people, Can we please agree that praying for a disabled person to be healed after they’ve said no...
To my late mother, Latika
My mother who passed away in 2013 in Nashik city(India) used to tell me her story of going to school...
Broken To Brilliant
I Wrote On Here Multiple Times On Here. My Recently One Was About My Baby Sister “Mariah Symone Sanders” On...
More Stories
Claiming Your Power
Yes, YOUR story matters!
VIDEO: Yes, YOU have an inspiring story to share! Check out this 45-second video that explains why... https://vimeo.com/306191247
Strive To Be Better Than Who You Were Yesterday.
Two of the most prime dates in my life are 12.14.2020 and 19.01.2021. It was on these two dates (respectively), that I gave my acceptance speech to my country for...
THEY CAN NOT BREAK US
Today, I realized that I am so strong, because I have three stories like this. Three times someone tried to rape me—first, when I was eight years old, [the] second...
I overcame and so can you!!!
Who am I? To tell you my life story would take a life time. Writing a book just won’t do!!! So where do I start??? I am fearfully and wonderfully...
I am not the child called it
I am a survivor. I was beaten by my mom's husband for years. He was a nasty drunk. We feared weekends they were worse. Whatever he grabbed we were hit...
Empowerment for All
I first learned about Girls on the Run through a healthy living blog back in 2011 and remember thinking “this is a cool program”. Fast forward to 2017, and I...
Speaking your Truth
Learning to love myself
Growing up I watched my mom deal with low self-esteem issues and I believe because of that, she didn't teach me to love myself. I don't blame her or resent...
my teacher
in school i had a teacher reach down my bra and up my skirt to grab my behind I've had this happen with the same teacher 3 times so my...
My Story
I’ve never had a ‘normal’ life, I’ve dealt with so much for so long I fear I am past the point of ‘normal’ at times. It’s sad really to not...
Finding My Inner Superwoman Despite Battling a Rare Disease
Devic’s disease is a neurological disease of the brain and spinal cord dominated by inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis) and inflammation of the spinal cord (myelitis). It’s often...
I Survived, You Can Too
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, be aware that it contains descriptions of childhood rape, and other forms of violence and abuse. My name is Leigh* and I want to...
The girl with the most cake
This is pretty long but this all needs to be said: I'm a black sheep. And I really mean that, too. I'm a black sheep. I was born in April...
Love
My “I Can’t” Chorus
I am my biggest, "I can't-er." I do not remember a single instance in my life when someone told me I couldn't do or achieve something. I do remember the...
Forgive Yourself
I wanted to focus on self-forgiveness, for blaming ourselves for justifying and normalizing violence. I think [violence] is often happening in our society, but I think a lot of people...
you’ll be okay. I believe you.
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, please be aware that it contains descriptions of childhood rape and other forms of sexual assault. When I was 12, I was raped by...
I’ve been abused emotionally and physically
I was one years old you know my dad was a drug addict and hurt my mother so badly when I was two we left moved in to my gramma...
Life on Brentmoor Ct (pt. 3/4)
LIVING IN REALITY Before she knew it, Ivy was in 8th grade, and reality, as it was, became normal yet again. She began to think less and less about her...
“I’ve only just begun to realise how strong I am”
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, be aware that it contains descriptions of childhood abuse and violence, self-harm, and rape. (I'm not the best at writing so apologies for the...
Self-Empowerment
Stop Blaming (yourself)
Blame is a way we discharge pain. We blame others, hurling insults and digging our heels into the cushy comfort of self-righteous indignation. Or we blame ourselves. We beat ourselves...
El recuento matemático de mi vida
Gracias a las redes sociales hace un par de años me reencontré virtualmente con una amiga de mi adolescencia con quien había perdido contacto por casi 3 décadas. La alegría...
It was a case of maintaining peace. Peace of mind.
Leading up to the year of me going to high school I remember experiencing feelings such as excitement, curiosity and gratitude, and contentment. Little did I know that would not...
Chicago Marathon
I have many GOTR stories but this one is my first! In 2016 I discovered and enthusiastically agreed to run as a SoleMate for Girls on the Run of NWI...
Academic Achievement As A Way Out
When I was 12 years old we (my mother and my three siblings) moved from Colombia to the US to live with my dad, who had migrated 7 years earlier....
An Angel During Change
Job titles and salaries will never determine my qualities as a person, this is what I used to think and what I used to share with people around me. However,...
Trauma
Survivor
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, please be aware that it includes references to childhood rape and sexual assault. I am a survivor of multiple sexual assaults and rapes. I...
How I delt with Self-esteem issues after I had abortion
Having had abort my child was the lowest point I’d have ever gotten. Many years later, I look back and I still shed tears sometimes of joy sometimes of sorrows....
Sinless Cathelin
This story starts from the teens where a girl was growing to be a brave, innocent, and smart child with great features like black shiny hair, black eyes, and a...
Surviving: Made To Battle
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, please be aware that it contains descriptions of childhood rape and sexual assault. Hello my name is saida luvenia Mahoney I am 25 years...
Transparency will ignite unity
Trigger warning: Before reading this post, please be aware that it includes references to childhood rape. My name is Zoe van Zyl. Life has been a struggle, and in the...
Reclaiming My Power From Fatherlessness
This is my story. I faced a lot of adversity including poverty, physical and sexual abuse during my childhood which created a cycle of abuse that followed me into my...
Other Topics
Accepting myself as I am – Story of someone with Vitilgo
I wanted to share with you my story which is how I dealt with vitilgo and the stigma around it. When I was about 7 years I got this condition...
The story of a young mom..
Let me start out by saying I have always lived in dreams. When I was five I dreamed of becoming a teacher, when I turned 10 I really wanted to...
From Mouse to Lioness ~ Listening to my inner voice.
Always a rather timid, shy woman, I was raised at a time when young women were seen and not heard. I'd sit in the company of those older than myself...
Empowering women in every aspect
I am a drummer from Iraq. Playing music or doing any music activity professionally as an Iraqi is a dangerous thing to do. Some people had their lives threatened for...
Rewriting the Script
Trigger warning: Please be aware that this story includes a graphic description of childhood FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). This was one chilly afternoon in the month of November in the...
You are enough.
Stand up for yourself Learn to love yourself enough to recognise that no one can cherish you better. In the past couple of days, I have engaged in some insightful...