Brave & Persistent: Two Poems for Every Girl Who Keeps Going

Here's the thing about bravery that nobody tells you: it doesn't feel brave from the inside. From the inside it feels like fear. The brave part is just doing the thing anyway.

And persistence — that's not exciting either. It's just Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday. It's showing up when you don't feel like it and can't remember why you started.

Anaya wrote these two poems about exactly that. Read them when you need reminding.

BRAVE

They say brave is facing what's unknown,

Walking through shadows, standing alone.

But I've learned it's more than just fear,

It's having the strength to persevere.

It's the courage to speak when silence surrounds,

To stand tall when the world knocks you down.

It's the heart that keeps beating through the fight,

And the hope that burns, even in the night.

Brave is the way you rise after defeat,

Picking yourself up, refusing to retreat.

It's the courage to chase what others might flee,

And the strength to just be who you're meant to be.

It's in the way you face the unknown,

Not knowing what's next, but standing on your own.

It's in the choices you make, with no guarantee,

And trusting yourself to just be free.

Brave isn't about being fearless, it's true,

It's about feeling the fear, but pushing through.

It's in the quiet moments, the heart that's bold,

And the courage to embrace what's yet to unfold.

PERSISTENT

They say persistent is never giving in,

Pushing through the storm, the thick and thin.

But I've learned it's more than just will,

It's the heart that refuses to be still.

It's the way you keep going, day after day,

Even when the world seems to turn away.

It's the grit you show when things get tough,

And the strength you find when you've had enough.

Persistent is the way you never lose sight,

Of the dreams you hold, no matter the fight.

It's the belief that every setback's just part,

Of the journey to success, a test of your heart.

It's in the way you don't quit or surrender,

In every challenge, you find the splendor.

It's the way you rise, time and again,

Knowing each failure is just part of the gain.

Persistent isn't about never falling,

It's about rising up, answering the calling.

It's in the refusal to give up or break,

And the belief that you'll make it, for your own sake.

— Anaya Deshmukh, Daughters of India

What is the one thing you have kept going at even when you wanted to quit? Tell us in the comments. Anaya reads every single one.

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Part of our Whispers Within poetry series: Thriving & Progressing, Evolving & Flourishing, Whole-Hearted & Breathtaking, and more — explore the full collection on our Whispers Within pillar page.

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