Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you'll love, handpicked by our team.
10 Hacks to Help You Become a Period Ninja. Top Story - April 2021.
It's that time of the month again. You know, your monthly visitor? Do you feel like your monthly cycle is a time where it's hard to get anything done? Do you find yourself feeling drained, tired, and moody every month? It's no surprise that the menstrual cycle can take such a toll on our bodies.
By Elena Athon6 years ago in Viva
He Destroyed My Home.. Top Story - April 2021.
I am writing the following story because I want to let go of something that has made a deep impact in my life. Organizing my endlessly scattered thoughts works best for me when I write them out, so here it goes. It is no secret that I often speak my mind, but I suck at communicating about the really, really, deep things that torment me. I have gotten better but every day is still a struggle. Just to sort of set the stage, I will start off by saying that I am diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 and Adult Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. My story of my experience plays a particularly important role in my mental health. It diminished my ability to communicate, to heal, to be strong and courageous for myself. It turned my entire world turned dark. I have been described as unpredictable, out of control, impossible to manage and crazy. I have been told that I am a monster, and my life is worthless. I have been told that I destroy everything I touch. I conditioned myself to shrink for others, to not upset or defy them. I stayed quiet and bottled everything inside. I smiled and said, “it’s okay”, when really, I just wanted to scream and beg for someone to make the pain stop. I accepted toxicity into my life because I believed that it is what I deserved. Every single person I have ever met knows a completely different version of me. The versions of myself constantly change, as is life. And as a result, I am a variation of factors. Yet, there are only 3 people who know me entirely. Every single secret. Every single insecurity, down to the last detail. Every single emotion, mood swing and trigger. Every single thought and opinion. Every single amount of excruciating emotional and mental pain. Every single trauma. Everything that has damaged me. These 3 people's influence on my decision to finally share my story with the world will be mentioned in my following story. I had held a secret inside of me for 7 years, one that I thought I would never be able to face. I denied it all these years, repressing it so far that I eventually did not think about it at all. All it took for me to finally accept the truth was seeing a stranger’s face in a bar, increasing self-awareness and the compassion, and understanding of very 3 important people. I have finally realized how important I am, not in a cocky way, but in the way that I matter. My story matters, my healing matters, my life truly does matter. I am not staying quiet about who I am and why I am the way I am anymore. And because of this moment of clarity, I am ready to speak about something that happened to me when I was 18. Something that I tried so hard to forget, but ultimately could not escape. This is my story about the night someone stole what was mine.
By Sarah Carver6 years ago in Viva
To The Woman With The Heart of a Dragon. Third Place in Sister Circle Challenge. Top Story - March 2021.
You were born in 1964. The year of the dragon. You’ve always admired dragons. Dragons, lions, eagles. Creatures larger than life, that represent strength and courage. I think it’s because you’ve always seen yourself in them. I do too.
By Samantha Kaszas6 years ago in Viva
Dear Little Girl:. Top Story - March 2021.
For you, the baby girl who's just new to this planet and in the process of discovering its wonders. You're already worthy of this world. You're a miracle of life, you're pure light, and you deserve all the love in the world!
By Marina Fortuño6 years ago in Viva
The Pain of Being an Elite Athlete and a Woman.. Top Story - March 2021.
I like to think of myself as a fairly optimistic and strong-willed person, but I have days of sadness, stress, and pain, just like everyone else. Behind the positive quotes, affirmations, and meditations lies a girl just trying to do her best. I write this with welled-up eyes and a deep tightness in my chest because as I train for my second Olympic Games during a worldwide pandemic, I feel like I'm about to break.
By Elizabeth Cui6 years ago in Viva
We Need To Redefine The Term 'Ladylike'. Top Story - March 2021.
How we dress says everything about us. It's the first introduction we give out without actually introducing ourselves; people's first perception of us. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been told I'm "unladylike" because of my oversized, boyish clothing. "Why don't you wear tighter-fitting clothing and show off your body? That's not ladylike."
By Jesse Bixby6 years ago in Viva
This could save your life. Top Story - March 2021.
I'm 27 as I write this, 19 when it happened. I composed this piece in an effort to help other women understand potential human trafficking tactics and/or potential kidnapping scenarios. I share this because while it happened nearly 10 years ago, it wasn't until this year (2021) that I realized the tremendous danger I could have found myself in had things ended differently.
By Lexie Robbins6 years ago in Viva
Perfect Foundation vs The History of Mexico. Top Story - March 2021.
My skin is the color of Mexican nationalism. I am a product of (at least) Indigenous and Spanish roots on both sides of my family, from Northern and Southern Mexico, from flour and corn tortillas. Mexico was one of the first colonized countries that advocated for miscegenation, because it would “whiten” the entire country, and the mixed race people could be known as La Raza, as foretold and advocated by José Vasconcelos. I grew up saying “Para La Raza!” (for the race) without knowing the originally racist implications - now I say “para la gente!” (for the people). Because being Latinx is an ethnicity and not a race, then people of many races are Latinx. You don’t even have to speak Spanish to be Latinx, as Brazil and Haiti are Latin American countries. However, having been raised in the Southwestern US, I grew up with the understanding that I looked like the stereotypical Latina. I’m brown with brown eyes, black hair, and short with a round face, and when I talk quickly or with strong emotion, my Chicana accent comes out. Now, I know that not all Latinx people have to look or be like me, even other Mexicans don’t look like me, since I have been trying to surpass the anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity taught in Mexican culture.
By Ariana GonBon6 years ago in Viva
