Adrienne
My name is Adrienne and I was born in the early 1980s. I was born in Sydney, NSW, then went to Newcastle when I was eight. I stayed there until I was 21. I then went to Brisbane for a couple of years, met a guy, had a babe then moved to Canberra, to be closer to my parents (they had moved from Newcastle to Canberra when I was 18).
I then came back up to Queensland about a year ago, this time with my then 2 year old daughter as a single mum. I am now in a steady relationship with a new guy awaiting the birth of my second child and our first together.
My wishes for women in the year 2020
For success for women to take place in the future I believe that it must take place for all people on a global scale. We, as a people, are all interconnected and therefore are not truly successful until we are all contented. We have a long way to go before we see the whole human race contented and I do not see that happening by 2020.
The changes we need to see for women in Australia, and indeed all people, is equality. With the whole feminism revolution that we saw in the 60's we failed to consider what it does for men to have to hold up this whole macho image, which is expected of them. We certainly have come a long way since then but I believe we need to say ‘we have all been screwed over by the image of the woman as the child raiser and the man as the money earner'.
Overcoming difficulty
I had a somewhat difficult youth in that I was diagnosed with a congenital, life-threatening, neurological condition when I was 12. I did not expect to live much past twenty so I went out and experienced just about everything starting when I was 14, this started with dropping out of school. Then at 19 I got very sick and was going to die, in no uncertain terms. So my doctors decided to try an experimental procedure on me.
It worked and I now have my whole life stretching ahead of me.
In 2006 I became a mother, something I'd previously thought I wouldn't be able to do, and now I'm living up in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in a new steady relationship. I am getting married in October 2009 and I couldn't be happier.
I see nothing unique about me but in the same sense I see that every person on the Earth has something unique about them.
The factors and beliefs that have helped me overcome adversity
I would have to say that my mother is the one stand-out factor in helping me define myself and overcome adversity. She is a very strong and independent woman who always believed in standing true to yourself and having a strength that comes from within, instead of relying on others around you to build you up.
As for beliefs in overcoming adversity I have always had a very strong belief that we are more than the sum of our parts. With this belief I have had the courage to stand up to adversity and be true to myself. This has been further enhanced at many times in my journey via Spiritual Healing courses and other self-help style courses.
The important people in my life
My mother has been the strongest guiding force in my youth. She has helped me to be the person I am. Without her I might be a very different person.
My mother taught me to be who I want to be and to remain strong and independent
The other important person in my life is my daughter. When she came to me, my life changed. I was no longer selfish as I lived to keep her happy. It is the most profound relationship I have had in my life.