Alyana was like every other woman who aimed at relieving her parent’s burden and becoming the best version of herself; she wanted to become successful and make her parents proud. But her conservative family was a hurdle in the achievement of those aims. As soon as she graduated from the university, her aunt asked for her hand in marriage for her son. Her husband-to-be promised that she could continue her studies after marriage. She was skeptical and it made her reluctant but had to bow down before the continuous pressure from her parents. Long story short, after a short period she got married. The wedding took place with everyone’s blessings so she was content in her heart. 
Soon, Alyana realized that life after marriage was quite different from the life she had at her parent’s house. She had to make a lot of compromises and even had to hold back her passion for further studies. She took things in stride and devoted herself to becoming a perfect homemaker. She had watched her mother make great compromises and sacrifices for her family, and now that she found herself in the same situation, her love for her mother increased with every passing day. 
Alyana had always dreamt of being a mother and wanted to cherish the feeling of being a family-maker. Soon, she was the mother of two cute and naughty children. Her life changed drastically after becoming a mother. Now, her whole world revolved around her family. She no longer put herself first, if she ever had before; she would only think of her children, and focused on their comfort, mood, favorite things, etc. Her husband was a busy man. He rarely had time for them but she never complained. She took care of everything from every day chores and errands, to praying her kids’ school fees and utility bills, to her husband’s clothes. Lost in her own world, she thought her life was a dream, going smoothly, oblivious to what fate had in store for her.
Life has a way of taking sharp turns suddenly and you find yourself in circumstances you never thought possible. And this is what happened to Alyana as well. One day, her husband left her and their two young children without saying a word. She only got a text afterward that read: “We’re over. Just sign the divorce papers without any drama. I’ll send them over to your brother’s house. Take the kids with you. I’ll come back in a few days. Empty the house before I come. Don’t try to call me.” She tried to call him but he had probably blocked her number. Her sweet dream quickly turned into a nightmare. As her parents had died, she had to find refuge at her brother’s house. It wasn’t much of a refuge though. She was welcomed by the continuous hate from her family. Everybody looked down upon her due to her divorce and her living at her brother’s was a nuisance for his family. 
Despite her constant battle to ignore all the negativity, it got too much for her to bear; she was tired of all the hateful words and decided to move out and live on her own. She had received her share in the inheritance form her parents, which sparked a glimmer of hope in her eyes. However, her struggles were far from over. She was struggling to play her role as a single mom, with no job and no support system and all the responsibility for herself and her children squarely on her shoulders. Every day brought a new challenge. She had to find a way to provide for her children, put food on the table, and keep a roof over their heads. She looked for jobs relentlessly, but it seemed like no one wanted to hire a single mom with no work experience.
Fortunately, Alyana was smart enough to save up some money and it was enough to keep things going smoothly for a while. But as time went on, Alyana’s savings dwindled, and she had to make tough decisions. She sold her wedding ring and other valuable items to pay bills and sometimes even went without food so that her children could eat. Despite the difficulties that she faced, she refused to give up. She was determined to give her children the life they deserved, even if it meant sacrificing her own comfort. She would work odd jobs during the day and spend sleepless nights thinking of ways to take care of her children.
As time passed, Alyana’s determination paid off and she finally found a job, but it was a minimum-wage one. However, she didn’t let this hold her back and worked hard to climb the ranks. She was bullied at first for having no experience in the field but she turned a deaf ear to all the sarcastic remarks because the thought of her children and the worry of their comfort motivated her to keep going. She worked overtime, took on additional responsibilities, and proved her mettle. After a few months, she was successful in closing the largest number of sales in a week. She even persuaded a very picky client to buy owing to her excellent communication skills. As a result, she was given an eight percent raise in her salary excluding the commissions. Things picked up after that and there was no looking back for her; Alyana went from strength to strength. After continuous efforts, she was promoted as the Head of Sales and Marketing in her organization. She was also chosen as the “Employee of the Year” for three consecutive years. It was a record as no one in the history of that company had held that distinction for such a long span of time. She gradually fulfilled all of her children’s dreams balancing between her professional and personal life and realized that mothers have been given a higher rank because they are selfless when it comes to their children, they value their kids over themselves. With every promotion and pay raise she was able to provide a better life for her children, giving them the opportunity to attend better schools and buy things they had only dreamt of. She admitted her children to the best schools in the country, which seemed impossible when she first started working. Today, she lives a decent, secure life and her children are doing well in life thanks to her tireless efforts.
Through her struggles, Alyana learnt that one should not let their experience define them but realize the value of hard work and determination. She taught her children that no matter how hard life gets, you can always overcome them if you never give up and strive hard for the achievement of your dreams. She also learnt that first and foremost you rely on the Almighty and next you should learn to rely on yourself if life throws you a curveball. Alyana decided that she would share her journey with anyone who would listen in the hopes that maybe her experience could help them and so she became a motivational speaker. Alyana’s life story is testament that marriage and divorce cannot hinder one’s path, the only important thing is to be persistent and work hard. Her life is an inspiration to many single moms who are going through similar struggles, showing them that they too can overcome adversities if they keep pushing forward. Instead of looking for external help, we should first let go of the idea that we need someone to keep us afloat in the face of problems. Rather, we should take the first step and keep going for ourselves and our loved ones. HH

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