It was the 1980s. Washington D.C. was being called the “murder capital” of America, and the nightly news in Northern Virginia where I grew up showed an onslaught of politics, gangs, drugs, and guns.

Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Why Trust Us? When I was 29, I babysat for a friend’s toddler. I accidentally took my eyes ...

I noticed the sores covering my back, but it didn't stop me. They were from my school books, which bounced in my bag as I ran home at the end of each day, my trainers left behind in my locker so my ...