There’s a moment during every long bike ride, every solo run, every cold night away from home when the thought creeps in:
“This is too hard. Maybe I should stop.”
And for a long time, I used to think that struggle meant I was failing. That if something wasn’t flowing easily, maybe it just wasn’t meant for me.
But life has taught me otherwise. Through Ironman training and the lonely nights of studying abroad at 17, I’ve come to understand something I now hold close to my heart:
Struggle is not the end of the story—it’s part of what makes the story worth telling.
Let me take you on a journey through my own struggles. You might just find your own strength mirrored in mine.
The Training Days That Broke Me (But Also Built Me)
Ironman training is no joke. It demands everything—your time, your energy, your commitment, your why. But nobody talks enough about the emotional toll it takes, especially when your body refuses to cooperate.
A few months ago, I was infected by a rove beetle. It wasn’t a normal bug bite. The toxin from its body caused painful blisters and inflammation across my face and neck. It was hard to sleep. I couldn’t train for a full week. Every time I looked in the mirror, I felt like I was losing—not just time, but momentum.
I remember sitting on the edge of my bed, crying quietly because I felt like I was falling behind. My teammates were out there riding 100km, swimming open water. I was stuck at home, with a swollen face, feeling useless.
But here’s the thing: when I came back, I didn’t give up. I eased in. My first bike ride back was only 30km, but the joy of being outside, sweating, trying—it reminded me why I started in the first place.
Training isn’t just about speed or distance. It’s about discipline. It’s about showing up, even after the struggle. Especially after the struggle.
A Seventeen-Year-Old in a Foreign Land: Learning Through Loneliness
When I got the scholarship to study in Canada at 17, it felt like a dream. I was just a girl from Ha Tinh—a small town in Vietnam. I had never been on a long-haul flight. I had never been away from my family for more than a week. Suddenly, I was in a country that spoke a different language, ate different food, and had winters colder than anything I could imagine.
Everyone else seemed to adjust faster than me. They had stronger English, more polished confidence. I remember one class where the teacher asked a question, and I had the answer in my mind—but I was too scared to speak up. I thought, What if I pronounce something wrong? What if they laugh?
That fear kept me quiet for weeks. I felt small and invisible.
But one day, a friend encouraged me to join the debate club. It was terrifying at first—I stumbled over my words, mixed up phrases—but slowly, I got better. I found my voice. I realized that making mistakes was part of learning. Not a sign to stop, but a sign to grow.
By the end of that year, I was giving presentations confidently, writing essays that made sense, and even mentoring younger international students.
Struggle didn’t mean I wasn’t good enough. It meant I was learning.
Struggle Is a Signal, Not a Stop Sign
Looking back, both my training setbacks and my study-abroad experience taught me this powerful truth: struggle is a signal. It tells you you’re stretching beyond your comfort zone. It shows you’re growing.
We often want the shortcut—the smooth path, the results without the pain. But have you ever noticed that the stories we admire most are never the easy ones?
No one is inspired by perfection. We’re inspired by the messy, real, vulnerable becoming.
That’s what Sunny Valley is all about. It’s not a place for polished perfection. It’s a place for truth, growth, and light—even (and especially) when the journey feels dark.
Reframing Struggle: 3 Lessons I Keep Close
1. Struggle Builds Depth
If I had sailed through Ironman training without setbacks, I wouldn’t appreciate the finish line the same way. Every painful blister, every skipped session due to illness, adds depth to the achievement.
When we struggle, we dig deeper. We build resilience. We grow layers.
2. Struggle Creates Connection
When I shared my homesickness and culture shock in Canada, I found friends who felt the same. That vulnerability opened the door to real connection.
People don’t connect through bragging—they connect through truth. And truth often looks like struggle.
3. Struggle Shapes Character
We don’t grow strong by avoiding challenges. We grow strong by walking through them—slowly, imperfectly, but bravely.
Struggle gives us grit, compassion, and the quiet confidence that says, “I’ve been through worse. I can get through this.”
A Note to Anyone Who’s Struggling Right Now
If you’re in the middle of a storm—whether it’s academic pressure, burnout, heartbreak, or simply feeling lost—I want to tell you this:
This isn’t the end of your story.
It might be a low point. It might be a pause. But it’s not the period—it’s just a comma.
When I was 17, I thought I’d never fit in. When I was injured, I thought I’d never bounce back.
But here I am, writing to you. Still growing. Still showing up.
And you will too.
Writing a New Narrative
What if, instead of hiding our struggles, we honored them? What if we started seeing them as part of our becoming?
You are not broken because you are struggling. You are becoming because you are struggling.
Your tears, your setbacks, your doubts—they are shaping a story of resilience, of courage, of a life well-lived.
Don’t skip over them. Don’t wait until the “happy ending” to share.
Tell your story now. While you’re still in the middle of it.
Because someone out there needs to know they’re not alone.
My Training Today
Even now, as I prepare for my final Ironman race of the year, I still struggle. I still have days when I want to skip training, when my body feels heavy, when my mind is cluttered with doubts.
Just last week, I had a long ride planned. It rained. My legs were sore. Halfway through, I got a flat tire.
I could have turned around. But I didn’t. I fixed the tire, took a deep breath, and kept going.
Not because I’m superhuman. But because I’ve learned that the story doesn’t stop when things get hard—it gets interesting.
Let Struggle Be Your Teacher
Whether you’re a student trying to pass exams, an athlete training for your next race, or simply someone trying to get through a difficult season in life—know this:
Struggle doesn’t disqualify you. It qualifies you.
It makes you empathetic. It gives you strength. It teaches you to find your voice, your rhythm, your reason to keep going.
So next time you feel like you’re failing, pause. Breathe. Then remind yourself:
“This is not the end.
This is the page where the hero learns something new.
And the hero is me.”
If this story resonated with you, I invite you to share it with someone who might need a reminder today: Struggle is part of the story—not the end of it.
Let’s keep growing together,
Sunny 🌻