National Infertility Awareness Week

So, as many of you may now, this week we celebrate the National Infertility Awareness Week. The slogan for this year is Join the Movement.

But what does this mean?

Joining a movement can mean so many things. It can mean being a part of the dialogue, being an advocate for yourself and spreading the word. Not so long ago the last thing I wanted to talk about was infertility. I knew it was there but I didn't want to acknowledge it. As time went on I realized that I wasn't alone in my journey. I was unknowingly a part of an amazing community. A community of strong willed women and men all around the world. A community of fighters who are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to build their families. That's when I decided to start writing this blog. I needed to vent and share my story in a place without judgment. By far it has been one of the best decisions I have made in the last year. It has opened up a creative outlet for my emotions and it has also made me realize that there are people out there who understand exactly what I am going through.

So, as far as this year goes I feel like I have "joined the movement". I have made an effort to be more open about our struggles and share our story, both online and in real life. But then a little voice whispers and asks: Are you doing enough? Am I exploiting my full potential as an infertility awareness advocate? Am I educating and reaching enough people? The answer is probably not. Because there are some days in which I am so sick and tired of everything that my first instinct is to throw in the towel. To shut down and wallow in my sadness. There are some days in which I can't bear to spread not even an insightful comment or a quick remark. There are some days in which all I care about is surviving that moment. Then the next day the spark is back and I go in full force. And that's OK. There is no one keeping tabs. We deal as best we can with what life has thrown at us. I have learned that just by living our lives day after day we are amazing. Just by enduring what we have to go through we are an example of strength and willpower. Our resilience is what keeps us going against all odds and that is an incredible movement in itself.