BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN

It’s that time of year again!

Trying to get back into a routine, chaos, shopping and you know it back to school season.

Back-to-school season can bring a lot of anxiety, especially for young girls. When I was little, I loved learning, but I dreaded going to school. For me, school quickly became more about the social pressures than about the joy of discovering new things. I felt constant pressure to be smart, but not too smart or I’d be labeled a nerd. At the same time, if I wasn’t smart enough, that was a problem too.

In grade six, I remember vividly just wanting to fit in, to be “popular” a typical need for teens. But whenever I was the first to answer a math question or got excited about aerodynamics, I became the “weird girl” who liked school too much.

Middle school was one of the hardest seasons of my life. I was struggling to find my people while going through big changes at home. I didn’t have a boyfriend like many of my peers, and I enjoyed playing video games with my brother, which only made me stand out more. My classmates constantly antagonized me, and everything intensified when I hit puberty, suddenly I was flooded with big emotions and changes in my body that I hated. My confidence plummeted, and so did my grades. I lost sight of why I had ever loved school, and my anxiety peaked. Eventually, I stopped going. Anxiety made me physically ill, and most mornings I couldn’t even get out of bed.

For a while, I felt completely lost. But then I discovered volleyball. Playing gave me an outlet, a team, and a sense of belonging. I started going back to school, getting good grades, and reconnecting with what I loved. But just as quickly, that outlet was taken from me with one comment: “Bigger Girls Shouldn’t Play Volleyball.”

That wasn’t the first time in my life I was told I couldn’t do something because of my body. Over and over, I was made to feel small, weak, and incapable; whether it was becoming a nurse, playing sports, or even being a good mom someday. Hearing those words so often, from both peers and family, seeped into my self-worth into the depths of my soul and worldview of myself. I began chasing jobs, relationships, and activities I never truly wanted, simply because I believed they were all I could do.

School was such a painful experience that when I finally decided to go back, I chose a program I didn’t even want…..Early Childhood Education…..just because it was short and would get me out faster. But during that time, I realized something important: I wasn’t chasing my passions. I was chasing the limits others had set for me.

I often ask myself why I clung so tightly to those voices. Then I think about my stepsister. She’s so bright, and she always had people around her who told her she could. She dreamed big, and while teachers and peers sometimes tried to cut her down, she had this unwavering support system lifting her up. Because of that, she truly believed in herself and watching her has always inspired me.

Today, I’m still learning to chase the things I love, even when others tell me I can’t. And every time I do, I prove myself wrong in the best way. I never disappoint myself, and I feel proud for challenging the self-doubt that once controlled me.

Seeing my stepsister and all of her awesome and beautiful flaws still having all of that support made me push myself to join MFWC. I was scared out of my mind. I barely got out of bed, was stuck in depression, recovering from a serious car accident, feeling like me and my life were going no where. But something inside of me wanted something different; I was tired of being told no, not having any support.

Fast forward a few months later I joined the Miss Fuller Woman Competition (MFWC) and am surrounded by a fierce, loyal and amazing, beautiful group of women who reminded me that “I can.”  They believed in me so much that I started to believe in myself and what do you know I now have the honour of being your Miss Fuller Woman Queen 2025!

Queens (myself included) are not  perfect; we still get anxious, we still doubt ourselves- I know I do! Crowns don’t erase fear or struggle. But they do prove that you can do things you never dreamed possible.

As you and your kids get ready for this school season, remember to chase your passions. Protect your kids and yourself fiercely. Know that you can! And don’t let anyone take away your power to shape your own life- I know I won’t make that mistake anymore!

With Love,

Your Miss Fuller Woman Queen 2025 Hannah xoxox