Holding Your Ground
A Tribute to Women Who Take the Reins and Define Their Own Success
There comes a moment in every woman’s life when she must decide—does she follow the path before her, or does she forge her own?
For some, this moment arrives quietly, like a whisper urging them to step outside the expectations that have long defined them. For others, it crashes like a wave, leaving no choice but to stand tall and claim their own space in the world. Either way, the decision is never easy, nor is the journey predictable. But for the woman who chooses to lead herself, to take the reins in her own hands, the reward is immeasurable: a truly hers life.
The Strength in Stillness
Here is a story about the painting, Red Chair, part of the Trailblazers collection—a body of work dedicated to women who refuse to be confined by convention and carve their paths with boldness and resilience. The Red Chair was born from my own journey—one that has taken me across nine different countries, each move feeling like a new life, a new identity to shape from the ground up.
Every time I arrived in a foreign place, I had to start over. I was a stranger to the land, the language, the culture. Each move felt like a painful rebirth, a shedding of the familiar and stepping into the unknown. It was never easy—rebuilding friendships, rediscovering my purpose, adapting to an ever-changing landscape. But in that hardship, I became something I never expected: a trailblazer of my own life.
I did not always have a clear direction, but I knew one thing: I would not let the circumstances define me. I would define myself.
At first look, Red Chair might not seem like the typical image of a trailblazer. She is seated, her body relaxed, her expression thoughtful. But look closer—she is not waiting in uncertainty. She is not hesitant or lost. She is waiting with purpose, grounded in her own power.
She holds a hat in her hand, an unspoken reminder that she is not stuck. She can rise at any moment and step forward when she is ready. The red plastic chair beneath her is cheap and temporary, does notefine her strength—she carries that within herself. She is surrounded by a vivid desert, a landscape as untamed as her spirit, as relentless as her dreams.
This painting speaks to the woman who knows that taking control of her life does not always mean constant movement. Sometimes, it means pausing. Observing. Choosing when and how to act. Society often tells women they must constantly prove their worth through action—through achieving, through pushing forward at all costs. But the true trailblazer understands that power is not just in movement. It is in knowing oneself, in recognizing the moment to sit still and let strength build before the next bold step.
The Trailblazers Among Us
We all know a woman like this. Perhaps she is you.
The woman who left a secure job to pursue a passion others told her was unrealistic. The woman who walked away from a relationship that stifled her, even when it meant standing alone. The woman who dared to take a different path, knowing it would be harder but more fulfilling.
She is the one who built something from nothing. She is the mother who raised her children while chasing her own dreams. She is the artist, the writer, the activist—the one who refused to be silent.
The world doesn’t always recognize the quiet moments of power. It celebrates the big, bold moves, the milestones, the victories. But behind every triumph is a moment like the one in Red Chair —a pause, a gathering of energy, a deep knowing that success is not about rushing forward, but about moving with intention.
Claiming Your Own Space
If you are a woman standing at the crossroads, wondering whether to take the safe road or to step into the unknown, let this be your sign. You do not need permission to take charge of your own life. You do not need to explain why you are choosing a path that makes sense to you but not to others. You simply need to trust in your own strength. Like my woman in the Red Chair, you have everything you need within you. The moment to move will come, but in the meantime, do not mistake stillness for weakness. It is in these moments that the foundation for greatness is laid. You are a trailblazer.