Alexandra Van Tonder

When you’re gaslit for so long, so hard, your ability to tell what’s real and what’s not, breaks.

“You’re not like other girls. You’re so smart and strong. You’ve accomplished so much. I can actually have a conversation with you!”

Failure. Success. These are absolutes that exist on opposite sides of a ruthless spectrum, and I’m going to tell you a secret I’ve learned from spending time with people who have both failed and succeeded in extreme ways: both feel exactly the same.