Woman Wednesday: Shayna Hodge

Often when we speak about strong women, we highlight solely athletes. Athletes are a great example, but there are many ways to be strong. This week's #WomanWednesday is Shayna, found on insta as - @batttykoda. I met Shayna when I spent a year living in Israel. She was there that year and the next year she went to the Peace Corps, and then she just kept traveling. She traversed the world, living in countries that were not glamorous, doing work that wasn't conventional. In my eyes, she is really truly brave. Here's what she had to say when I asked her why she is strong: .

"WHY am I strong. I love being alone, I love my independence. I enjoy taking each hardship as a learning experience to further investigate the workings of what makes me tick. I will never not do something because it's hard, I encourage a struggle because with great effort comes great success. I've traveled to over 50 countries alone, and with each mile, I've learned more about myself. I am grateful for the opportunities I've endured and encourage every women to make that jump, take that leap, no matter how scary it looks. As Erin Henson once said, "'What if I fall?' 'Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?' "

Being strong doesn't just mean lifting the heaviest weight or running super fast. It means tackling inner challenges and learning and growing from those experiences. Thank you Shayna for being an example of a strong woman!