Chronically Resilient When I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, I longed for the life I had before I got sick. I grieved the careless days and the pain-free nights. The words “you don’t look sick” are ones that haunted me. Each day waking up with a battlefield within me, but a smile etched across my seemingly normal face. The reality is that having a chronic illness can be unspeakably lonely. Each day is another battle that you are fighting in the dark. A battle that no one else sees. After months of battling the illness within my body and the mental toll it held over me, I had decided that it was time to make the illness that made me feel invisible, be seen. It was time to reclaim my life and redefine my illness. It was time to take the struggle and reinvent it into strength. To allow me to reclaim the life I lost and reinvent my struggles into strength I curated a letter to my autoimmune disease: Dear Crohn’s Disease, You have been a piece of who I am for so long now that I often forget who I was before you claimed my life. This journey we have been on has challenged me, tested me, and pushed me to my limits. But most of all, you have taught me. You taught me that you never truly know what is happening in someone else’s life. You opened my eyes to be more compassionate and understanding. You have truly shaped me into who I am today. You allowed me to relate to others who are struggling and provide education to those who don’t understand. You have empowered me and shown me just how far a compassionate heart can go. You’ve shown me the true colors of people around me and allowed me to find those whose shoulders I can lean on when I am weak. While there are days when I wish you would just go away, I am forever thankful for the lessons I have learned from you. When you first entered my life, I was a terrified 16-year-old girl handing you my life in fear of ever living a normal life again. These past few years you have been there every day. You have pushed me down and watched me get back up countless times. You have fought me but each day I fight back. Today, I take back my life. I become me again. A strong, confident, unstoppable woman. You can be a part of me, but I will no longer let you define me. Sincerely, Lily Wolf With this letter, I release the grief of my past life and redefine my weakness as strength. While I may be chronically ill, I will remain chronically resilient.

When thinking of someone’s best skill, the mind will often wander to the ability to play an instrument, to draw, or play a sport. Although it may be unorthodox, my best skill is compassion. I frequently find myself placing myself into other’s shoes, attempting to understand how life looks from their point of view. Compassion is so much more than being kind or empathetic, compassion is powerful. Compassion often plays a key role in social and emotional connections. This skill has allowed me to grow and form deeper meaningful connections with those I hold close to me. I am passionate about the ability I have to motivate and support others. Having a compassionate mindset has not only benefited my relationships but it has benefitted my own relationship with myself. Showing self-compassion is equally as important as showing compassion to others and for that reason, I work to improve the compassion I show myself on a day-to-day basis. To improve the compassion I have towards myself, I practice mindfulness, I find plenty of time in my day to continue to encourage myself to work towards my dreams, I listen to my body and its needs, and I reflect upon negative or unwanted thoughts. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” – Jack Kornfield

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.” -Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UNF My favorite way to help others is to give back with all that I have and make a real difference to all of those I meet. Since before I can remember I have studied the Spanish language and culture. What began as a simple skill has now changed my life and those of others. 6 years ago, as a young 13-year-old, I was presented with an opportunity that I will never forget. I was invited by a medical team to travel alongside professional doctors and scholars from many universities to act as a Spanish translator while they ventured to Guatemala. I spent several weeks away from my family giving back by sharing my knowledge of the Spanish language. I was able to give back to those in need much beyond the surface by donating old clothes or participating in a food drive. I was able to truly make a difference. I have since returned several times. The connections I’ve made with the people in the small Guatemalan towns I had visited have continued to thrive through the distance between us. I have inspired several young women to study English and have even hosted Zoom calls with lessons for them so they can continue to make a difference as I did.

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.” -Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UNF For as long as I can remember I have studied the Spanish language and culture. What began as a simple skill has now changed my life and those of others. 6 years ago, as a young 13-year-old, I was presented with an opportunity that I will never forget. I was invited by a medical team to travel alongside professional doctors and scholars from many universities to act as a Spanish translator while they ventured to Guatemala. I spent several weeks away from my family giving back by sharing my knowledge of the Spanish language. I was able to give back to those in need much beyond the surface by donating old clothes or participating in a food drive. I was able to truly make a difference. I have since returned several times. The connections I’ve made with the people in the small Guatemalan towns I visited have continued to thrive through the distance between us. I have inspired several young women to study English and have even hosted Zoom calls with lessons for them so they can continue to make a difference as I did.

My undying passion for family, community, and helping others motivates me on a daily basis. These passions have shaped me into the person I am today and the person I continue to grow into each day. They have also shaped my goals, short-term and long-term. Passions are what fuel our visions in life. My passion for family has opened doors of possibilities, and the constant support of the people close to me has allowed me to follow my vision for my life. The community in which I grew up in shaped my dreams for my future, giving back to the people who inspired me to live life to the fullest is a passion that I will hold near to my heart forever. I live to help others. As an aspiring teacher each day I become more passionate about helping shape the future generation and watching young minds grow. These are the things on the surface that scatter into my brain when asked what I am passionate about. Each one shares a common theme that lies deeper beneath the surface. In reality, there is no one answer to the question. Passion is what drives dreams and goals. Passion is what shapes you into who you are and who you will become. I am most passionate about anything that pulls me in to be a better version of myself. This is life’s truest passion.

The room is bright. The echoing beeps are piercing my fragile ears. I finally come to reality and identify my surroundings. I am in a hospital bed. Draped in wires and doctors quietly whispering to my family with sorrowful eyes. My blurred eyes slowly scanned to my mother's shaking hand reading "Anorexia Nervosa" on the top of the pamphlet that she had a tight grip on. This is how my journey began. Growing up in a society with a preconstructed mold for who you should be was highly damaging to my mental and physical health. Throughout my early teenage years, the battle between my mind and food rapidly consumed my life. After being admitted to an eating disorder recovery facility with the new diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, I began to learn a considerable amount about myself. The continuous battle knocked me down more times than I could count but I quickly discovered the true strength that was hidden within me my whole life. The experience helped me learn that the moments where your journey feels the most painful are often the moments where you are making the most progress. On my journey to recovery, I learned about my true passion to help others reach recovery. After this life-changing battle with Anorexia, I felt a strong motivation to spread awareness and make strides in breaking any stigmas that surround eating disorders. I banded together all of my fellow recovering friends that helped me through my journey to make a group effort towards a change. I created a fundraising page and was able to bring together nearly $4,000 within our group. All of the money was donated to the National Eating Disorder Foundation to help further the research and support they do. The unbearable amount of shame surrounding eating disorders in the media took a heavy toll on me. Scrolling for hours on my favorite social platforms, seeing degrading posts, and even posts supporting eating disorders. This is the kind of thing we see in the media on a day-to-day basis. It feels almost impossible to discover positivity sometimes. This is something I strived to change. I dreamed of future social media users having a more positive relationship with these popular sites than I did. I've worked with my current university to display eating disorder warning sign posters and self-love mantras throughout the fitness centers on campus. As well as started a university-based Instagram profile where I post daily affirmations, recovery tips, and resources for those struggling. Learn from your struggles. Use your voice. Discover your passions. Make a difference.