Back in May, I had an incredible experience. I was selected as a representative of my school to apply to the Minerva Learn to Lead conference for 24 girls from around BC. I applied, and got it!
At the conference, we engaged in numerous leadership activities, but on the first night we were made to say one thing that had shaped us in the past ten years. We went around my table, and I honestly completely forgot about Alopecia. I came up with some other random thing I'd done, and didn't even consider Alopecia until after. That was an example for me of how much I've really accepted it. How could I have not even thought of it? It's so much a part of me that I don't even consider it as a huge event in my life!
The next day we were put in groups of three and made to talk about some of our most important values. I brought up Optimism as one of mine, and explained how it had gotten me through Alopecia. The woman I was with was so moved that she (with my permission) told the entire group of over 100 women about my condition and how amazed she was by me. It was a huge eye opener for me. People didn't think I was weird or different for having no hair; they thought I was amazing for the way I had handled it.
Having the entire group of women know about my condition made me open up even more and added so much to my experience. I realized that if all those women can accept me, everyone else should be able to as well. And it they can't, it doesn't matter. I can handle it. :)