I have always been a sensitive person. I used to take the things that people would say about me very seriously and would get hurt a lot; Friends who suddenly decided to ignore me or tried to spread rumours behind my back would send me in a whirlwind of angst... My parents always told me to “be stronger”, to “not take this so seriously” and I tried, but I would always inevitably get hurt when confronted to such situations.

Often I was embarrassed by my emotional personality. I always carried that with me, and it felt like a burden. Then I started working as a hospital nurse. I always describe the routine of a nurse not just as opening a patient's door and walking into their room but as stepping into their whole life. Walking into families - big and small, to people fighting, grieving, loving... Most patients and their families walk into a hospital about to experience a turning point, a possible life-changing crisis, and they need somebody to guide them through these challenging times.

I have finally found myself in a place where my sensitive and empathic personality is not only helpful; it gives me so much strength and happiness—being there for my patients, sharing whatever emotion is in the room and helping them find a way to go on.

Back in the day, I saw my sensitivity as a flaw, a weakness. Now I see it as my personal superpower, I love this side of me and would now never dream of giving it up.