Navigating Hardships and Thriving Outside Your Comfort Zone!

3/24/2025 10:56 am

As women, I am sure that none of us have gone through life without experiencing gender injustice, no matter where we are in the world. But for years, I believed that science was an exception—a place where gender didn’t matter. I was born in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a country notorious for its dictatorship and the systemic oppression of women’s rights. There, the expectation for women is clear: get married, have children, and stay within the confines of societal norms. A well-known saying is often used to discourage women from pursuing higher education: "At the end of the day, your mission is to get married and have children—why do you need a doctorate to pamper your child?"

From a young age, I learned that there were rigid checklists for how a "proper" woman should look, behave, and navigate life. But science became my escape. In science, nobody cared if I fit into those societal molds. Every time I was in my father’s university lab, I was seen as the smart and capable girl, not judged for my appearance.

 

Sometimes, I wonder—if I had been born in another country or a different culture, would I have still chosen science? I don’t know the answer because I never lived that "if." But what I do know is that I am happy here, in science, and that is what matters. As I grew older, science became more than just a passion—it became my one-way ticket to a better life.

 

Seven years ago, on my 23rd birthday, during my first year as a master’s student in Biomechanics, I was brutally beaten by the morality police on the streets of Iran for defying mandatory hijab laws—an attack that nearly cost me my life. The video of the assault went viral worldwide, and the impact on my mental and physical health was profound. Even now, speaking about the darkness I endured is difficult. For years, I fought for my future while facing relentless oppression—all for one reason: because I am a woman. The pressure nearly broke me, and I came close to abandoning my master's degree. But in one defining moment, my Graduate Program Director told me:

"Don’t give them what they want. They want women like you to abandon education, retreat into silence, and disappear. Don’t let them win."

 

So, I stayed.

 

Through years of unimaginable hardship, science became my sanctuary. No matter what I endured, I excelled. I completed my master’s degree with outstanding achievements. My thesis—the first study investigating three-segmental spine and pelvic coordination in rowers with and without low back pain—was published in the Journal of Biomechanics. I collaborated with Staffordshire University (UK) and earned recognition for my research in Iran. These accomplishments not only shaped my career but also reinforced my identity as a scientist. Despite exhaustion, despite injustice, I held onto hope. And then, one day, I received an email I now call my Miracle—my Ph.D. admission letter from Old Dominion University.

 

When I look back, it’s hard to believe that the girl who endured so much pain and injustice is the same one who excelled in her master’s degree in biomechanics, published scientific papers, and left everything behind to pursue a Ph.D. in a new country with a new language and culture. For a long time, I tried to separate my identity as a woman in science from the woman who survived persecution and trauma. But the truth is, my story is only meaningful when I embrace all parts of myself. The fighter who refused to be silenced is the same woman who thrives in science—and both of them are me.

 

When you integrate all parts of yourself, that is the moment you realize your true power. When I reflect on the hardest days I survived, I don’t just ask how I made it through—I ask how I kept going, how I kept functioning despite everything. And when I see myself as a whole, I recognize that the same self-leadership that carried me through personal hardship has also fueled my success in science. I am the first in my immediate and extended family to earn a master’s degree, to speak a second language fluently, and to immigrate to another country to pursue science. My past has given me the courage to pave new paths, lead difficult conversations, step outside my comfort zone, and mentor others.

 

Women Are Built for Thriving Outside the Comfort Zone

One of the biggest challenges of stepping outside our comfort zone is the fear of failure—the uncertainty of whether we can function and succeed. But as women, we already master this skill every single day. Still don’t believe me? Think about how many women carry on through monthly periods, pain, and discomfort or while shouldering the burden of workplace discrimination or sexual harassment, without stopping, without complaining. We show up to work, conduct research, lead projects, and handle daily life as if nothing is happening. That is resilience in action. We are built to thrive in discomfort.

 

I believe that women make exceptional leaders when it comes to navigating hardships. One of the most critical qualities of leadership in difficult situations is embracing vulnerability. We grow up with it. Even though many cultures no longer use phrases like “don’t be a girl” to belittle emotional strength,  deep-seated beliefs persist in our cultural core that make us vulnerable. For instance, research shows that when people read scientific papers, they often assume outstanding studies were conducted by men, while lower-quality research is attributed to women. This bias makes it easier for women to accept vulnerability when the underlying belief says, “you’re not good.”

 

But here’s the truth: we are not “not good” because we are great!

 

Womanhood Is Power

If I fully embrace my womanhood in my scientific journey, there is no hardship I cannot turn into growth, no barrier I cannot break. Still don’t believe in the power of women? From the physical challenges of pregnancy and childbirth, to the heartache of having to leave your home to pursue your dreams, we survive, and we create life and beauty. That is power. If I can take this strength and apply it to my career as a woman in science, there is no obstacle I cannot overcome.

 

I am a woman.

I am a scientist.

I am powerful.

 

If you are a woman reading this, take a moment to reflect on your journey.

Embrace every part of yourself. Acknowledge the battles you’ve fought. Let them fuel your future. And most importantly, never separate your womanhood from your identity as a scientist. It is what makes you extraordinary.

 

To all the incredible women in biomechanics who not only conduct groundbreaking research but also fight daily battles for recognition and respect—

 

Your story matters.

Your voice matters.

You deserve to be celebrated.

 

 

Written by:

Elham (Elli) Alijanpour, Biomechanist and Ph.D. Candidate in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation, Old Dominion University