“Not All Warriors Wear Armor: How We Cope, Heal, and Keep Going”

Personal Power: It Didn’t Hit Me Until It Did
I used to think personal power meant ambition. 
Drive. Hustle. That head-down, push-forward energy 
we’re taught to believe is strength.

And then one day, it shifted.

It wasn’t a bolt of lightning or an inspirational quote. 
It was a quiet, uncomfortable moment that changed everything.

My Dad called with the news, mom has stage 4 cancer, 
that didn't seem real, but you know when reality hits, 
that word Cancer.

I didn’t know what to say. And I realized: personal power 
isn’t loud. It’s not in the grind. It’s in how we show up—when 
the world goes quiet, when life gets real.

When It Becomes Personal
Not long after that call, more news came.
A family member one slowly forgetting names, faces—Alzheimer’s.
A Son who now battling Crohn’s, smiling through the day.
A then the biggest hit and still today Dementia and a sad heart
my Dad had gone. 21 months later still don't accept it..

Each diagnosis hit like a wave.

And each time, I saw something raw and real.

Power wasn’t perfection. It was presence.

How People Deal — and Don’t
We all cope differently. Some fight loud. Others go silent. Some research, some pray, some numb out. And some do all three in one day.

The Fighters power through treatments and side effects, determined to smile one more day.

The Quiet Ones carry the weight so silently, you’d never know—until they fall apart in the grocery store parking lot.

The Avoiders shift the conversation, hide behind “I’m fine,” because facing it hurts more than pretending.

And none of it is wrong.

Because personal power isn’t about how you deal.
It’s about continuing—even when you don’t want to.
It’s about holding space for pain without letting it erase who you are.
It’s about showing up with love, even when you have no answers.

This Is Why We Created
Teka Originals, we don’t just design products.
We design for moments—for survivors, supporters, and those silently battling.
We create for the coffee drinker who just sat through their third doctor’s appointment this week.
For the daughter who bought her mom a plaque that says “Hope. Love. Cure.”
For the friend who uses sarcasm as survival and humor as armor.

Our designs are personal power in print.
They’re reminders that even when your world shifts—you still have your voice, your heart, your fight.

You’re Not Alone
If you’re navigating cancer, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s, or Dementia—directly or through someone you love—this is your reminder:

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You’re allowed to fall apart and still be strong.

Your way of coping is valid.

You are not alone.

Let’s Keep Talking
Drop a comment. Share your story. Tag a friend who needs a little light today.

This is what personal power really looks like: love in action.

Stay real. Stay soft. Stay strong.

— The Teka Originals Team 💛
www.tekaoriginals.com