You Didn’t Ask for the Storm—But You Can Choose How to Stand in It
Some people are born in love and security. Others? They are born into chaos. Into damaged systems, shattered families, or nations wounded by injustice. And if you’re one of those people who came into this world with an undeserved burden, this is for you. What do you do if your initial memories aren’t warm but heavy? When your tale begins with abandonment, poverty, or a persistent sensation that you don’t belong? Perhaps you’ve spent years attempting to escape the past, yet it still shows up in your relationships, self-worth, and silence.
Maybe the world toughened you, but at the expense of your peace. Here’s the truth: You did not create the storm you were born into. But you can choose how you heal from it. This blog is not a fable about instant healing. It’s a mirror and a map. A reflection of the agony you’ve experienced and a roadmap to finding peace that you deserve. Because your beginning isn’t your end, and your scars don’t get to tell your entire narrative.
1. The Storm: What It Feels Like to Be Born into Systemic Disadvantage
Some of us were taught to survive before we learned to live.
Being born into the storm means beginning life with one foot in the past. It’s growing up in an unsafe environment. Where love may come with terms. Where race, class, or circumstance say “less than” before you know who you are. It’s the child who grows up in a war-torn country, estranged from both family and homeland.
It is the immigrant child who arrives in a new nation only to discover rejection in every sideways glance. It’s the child who never hears “I’m proud of you,” but understands the pain of “Why aren’t you better?” all too well. The storm is both personal and systemic. When you are born into poverty, racism, or familial dysfunction, you inherit a storm that was not your own to begin with. And the storm doesn’t only rage around you; it starts to live within you.
2. The Weight of Survival: When Trauma Becomes a Lifestyle
You learned to carry too much just to stay afloat.
Survival is more than simply physical. It is also emotional. You grow up hyper-aware and prepared for impact. You either shrink to keep yourself safe or stretch to fit in. Over time, you may not even notice how heavy it has become.
When you are born into chaos, you learn to persevere. But nobody teaches you how to pause. To feel. To rest. You become the one who is strong, resilient, and has “made it.” What about the inside? You are exhausted. Perhaps even numb. And that is the cost of survival. You forget what peace even feels like. But here’s the thing: acknowledging the weight is the first step toward putting it down.
3. Peace Isn’t Given—It’s Built
Peace doesn’t wait for permission—it’s claimed, moment by moment.
No one gives you peace once you’ve lived through the storm. You construct it yourself, gradually and intentionally. It all begins with naming the pain. Saying, “This happened. It hurt. And it was not my fault.” Then comes the difficult part: unlearning. Unlearn the lie that you are not enough. Unlearning the belief that struggle is your only option.
People like Vladimi, whose story inspired “Enslaved by My Own,” could not find peace by avoiding their past. They discovered it by facing it. They built it step by step, finding peace with knowledge, purpose, and self-worth. They chose to flourish even when the world gave them every reason to give up. Peace is not passive. It’s a rebellion. A subtle and profound act of choosing yourself.
4. Reclaiming Identity: You Are Not Just What Happened to You
Your worth is not measured by your wounds.
It’s easy to believe that the experiences you’ve had define you. That’s all you’ll ever be: the abandoned child, the criticized teen, and the healing adult. But this is not true. Your trauma does not define you. Your rejection does not define you. You are not the systems that let you down or the people who did not show up.
You are the only one who remains. The person who reads this and wonders if there’s more. And there is. Peace occurs when you stop attempting to erase your past and begin reclaiming your future. When you say, “Yes, this shaped me—but it doesn’t define me.”
5. Finding Peace in Real Life: What It Actually Looks Like
Peace does not need to be perfect. It just has to be yours. Peace isn’t a mountaintop moment—it’s an everyday choice.
- It’s about establishing limits with those who drain you.
- It’s going to therapy, even if it scares you.
- It’s allowing yourself to relax guilt-free.
- It’s building a life where you can breathe—really breathe.
For Vladimi, peace means receiving an education, recovering through relationships, and speaking his truth. For you, it could look like journaling. Or inventing. Alternatively, you may say “no” for the first time ever. Peace is not the absence of challenges, but the presence of self-worth.
6. A Note to Those Still in the Storm
If you’re still in the thick of it, please don’t give up. Maybe you are still there. Amidst the chaos. In survival mode. Trying to make sense of everything as the world keeps expecting more from you. If it describes you, know this: You are not broken. You’re becoming. Even in the midst of chaos, you deserve to find peace, no matter how humble or quiet.
You do not have to have it all figured out. You do not need to heal overnight. You simply need to keep selecting yourself, one moment at a time. You are not weak for being tired. You are strong for enduring something you never deserved. You deserve peace, not just in principle, but in practice. In your present, gorgeous, messy life.
In Conclusion: The Storm Can Shape You—But It Doesn’t Have to Define You
You were born amid the storm, really. But you’re not the storm.
You’re ‘the calm’ afterward.
The voice that emerged when no one else believed in you.
The resilience that resulted from suffering does not end there.
You are capable of finding peace and deserve every moment of it. The world can be unkind. Systems can be unjust. Families can fail us. But something within you remains untouched—a quiet power that refuses to give up. Allow that power to steer you towards peace.
And when you arrive, even if it’s just a small haven of calm in a noisy world, remember that you created it. And it is yours to keep. So, are you ready to break your own chains? Then, read Enslaved by My Own. This book on resilience by Writer Jordani Pluviose serves as a mirror for anyone striving to overcome sorrow, rejection, and injustice. If you’re ready to heal from generational trauma and reclaim your voice, Vladimi’s story will call to you!
