Strength in Honesty by Natalys

Strength in Honesty by Natalys - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Growing up, I'd hear my Tia's whisper about that one cousin who “Needed help.” Esta loca… enferma… rara.” In my family, mental health wasn't real. therapy wasn't real. I learned early that struggle meant weakness so I kept quiet, smiled, and pretended I was fine. You live, work, and die. That was the mindset. Depression and anxiety were seen as excuses not realities. Once, I tried opening up and was told, “Eso no se real, Eres demasiado joven para eso.” After that conversation I began questioning myself, wondering if the weight on my chest and the constant anxiety were somehow my fault. For a long time, silence felt safer than being dismissed. Coming from a background shaped by poverty, immigration, and sacrifice, mental health felt like a luxury my family couldn't afford. Strength meant endurance, not honesty. Eventually, I realized that pretending was slowly erasing me. I couldn't keep caring about everything alone. Opening up to a close friend and being heard without judgment changed how I viewed strength. Seeking help wasn't betrayal; it was survival. That moment reshaped my self-expectations and opened my eyes to a new discovery of how to regulate my emotions. I'm able to focus on the future, on what I can make of myself rather than letting my past drag me down. Strength is about more than just getting along; it’s about growing, healing, and being willing to change. It’s on the nights I let myself cry instead of bottling it up. It’s in the choice to keep going, to seek help, to believe that healing is possible, even when my own culture tells me otherwise. My growth can be found in different aspects of my life, either mentally or even academically. I’ve pushed myself to almost complete 2 years of college while still in high school through dual enrollment. What's more is my improved ability of self-reflecting on the positive things around my everyday life and those who support me.