Hello, world!

My name is Christine, though some of you may know me as Abena. I’m in my early 30s and currently live in Accra, Ghana, but I’m originally from the US. After spending most of my life in the States, navigating health battles and the complexities of everyday life, I decided it was time to truly start living and embracing the life I’ve fought so hard to build.

Growing up, I felt a lot of scrutiny and hatred from my communities, which forced me to develop a strong sense of self and pushed me to never live within the limits others tried to impose on me. For too long, I believed the voices around me—“what I was,” “who I could never be,” or the box they tried to put me in. I allowed their opinions to limit how brightly I let myself shine.

Even now, at my age, I still struggle with navigating boundaries. If someone tells me I can’t do something, I always try to prove them wrong. And while this mindset isn’t always the healthiest, I do it with the best of intentions—but I’m not perfect.

Recently, I’ve begun to turn this mindset inward, challenging the ableist thoughts that I’ve held for years and pushing myself to live beyond the limits I’ve set for myself. I’ve learned to embrace the life I still have, especially knowing there are so many people who would give anything to be here today.

I want to inspire everyone who’s still living—regardless of disability, race, gender identity, or age—to embrace all of life’s possibilities and live the life they can today. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and I fought very hard to have this life. I’ll be damned if I don’t enjoy it.

So now, after nearly three years of living in Ghana, I’ve decided to take what I’m calling a “small” vacation. For me, it’s not just about seeing new places—it’s about finally traveling in a way I always dreamed of but never thought possible. I don’t know anyone who’s taken on a challenge like this, but I truly believe in living beyond your best abilities and chasing your wildest dreams.

I have no idea where life will take me, but I’m down for the adventure. I want to share my stories and hope that, in doing so, I can inspire others to do the same—to live their best lives.

What’s holding you back from living the life you truly want?