“Just Soldier On”

We say it when the world feels heavy, when grief tightens its grip, when life spins to fast, or when were simply trying to make it through the day with our hearts intact. It’s a phrase whispered at kitchen tables, mumbled under our breath in moments of exhaustion, and carried like armor through every twist  life throws our way.

It was my friend Bernadette who reminded me the weight and meaning those words can hold. Just days after the passing of her beloved Dave, she quietly said “Dave wants us all to soldier on”. There was no performance in her voice, just love, courage, the kind of strength that silienced the room and softens the heart all at once.  And in that moment, I felt a shift.  I was seeing Bernadette in a new light, a light now entirely her own to carry. I admire her more than I can express,  her strength, her unwavering presence, in the face of heartbreak. Her friendship is a gift, her resilience, a quite reminder of what it means to keep going, even when everything as changed.

When Life Asks Us to Keep Going

Grief is a teacher that arrives unvited.  It’s strips things bare. It reshapes the heart and asks us to live differently, softer, slower, more awake.   Soldiering on doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It doesn’t mean moving on or forgetting. It means honoring what was, holding space for what is, and choosing bit by bit to keep living. Some days, it looks like holding back tears at a red light. Other days, it’s laughing again, feeling sunlight on your face. Not in spite of pain, but becuase love taught us how deeply we are of feeling. When I lost my Wela, something in me broke open.  It was then in my life that “Soldering on”  took on a whole new meaning. It became personal. No longer words, it became a way of living with grief, with truth, with tenderness. Maybe you’ve felt it too, the ache of love and loss, wrapped around the question, How do I keep on going? 

You do it moment by moment. Breath by breath.  Not to eraase what came before, but to carry it forward wtih you, in the way you love, in the way yuo show up, and the way you live a life that still matters. Becuase grief changes you, but it also deepens your capacity to feel, to connect, to begin again.

Life Moves In Seasons

Life moves in seasons, and each one calls for something different.

Some seasons call us to build and rise. Other’s ask us to rest, release and recover. Sometimes soldering on looks like bold moves, chasing a dream with shaky knees. Other times, just breathing through the day.   I use to think soldiering on meant staying busy, keep all the plates spinning.  But what if soldering on also means pausing?  What if strenght is also found in softness, in silience, and stillness?

As humans we are not born to grind. We are born to feel. To create. To connect, To live with our whole hearts.

And just like nature. We evovle. We bloom. We shed, we root down, we begin again. Our seasons shift with our age, our enviroment, our life expereinces and the people we surround ourselves with. As we grow, we change and so does the meaning of “soldering on” .

Living Purposefully With Intention

The greatest shift happens when we stop soldering on out of habit, and start doing with with intention.

Let it be soul led, let it be grounded in your values, your healing, your happiness.  Let is be about becoming, not just surving.  Stregth doesn’t have to mean hardenss. Let your strength include softness, let your ambition include joy. Let your path include pauses, purpose and people who feel like home. Becuase life is still beautiful, after loss, durring uncertainity, even while healing. There are still sunrises worth watching, stories to tell, people to love, moments that matter.So as we move forward today, ask youself,

Is how your spending your time aligned with what you care about and the life you want to live ?

This isn’t about pushing through, its about waking up to a life well lived, on purpose,  led by passion.

Thank you for reading until the end, Ayerim

Ayerim Maduro is an award-winning destination marketer, multi-passionate creative entrepreneur, proud wife, and working mom of young adults, pursuing her dreams and passion for writing by sharing thoughtful advice and positive inspiration for everyday life.  For more ABOUT ME or related content you will find on Ayri Vibes my blog. These are a series of writings on topics I’m passionate about.  Such as my specialty in travel, tourism, & hospitality and sharing my expertise in digital marketing.  I also write about life experiences, uncovering one’s passion and purpose, and our family’s unique lifestyle.    Any, and all views, or opinions, expressed in this blog, are solely my own and do not represent the views or opinions of those people, institutions, or organizations that I may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated.