The Superpower I Forgot (and Am Relearning)

I got called out last weekend BIG TIME.

Last weekend, my husband stopped me in my tracks.

He said, "Asking people how YOU can help THEM is now your superpower. ‘Cause lately, you haven't been good at asking people to help you."

Truth bomb. He was right.

In fact, it reminded me of where my name even came from. My given name was Lisa. I started blogging as Indie Lee when I got sick in 2008 to keep my family and close friends up to date on my health, as I was told I could only have 6 months left.

At the time, it stood for Independent Lisa. Independence meant strong. Independent meant capable. Independent meant you could handle everything that was thrown at you…alone. And I wore that identity proudly.

But shortly after my first brain surgery more than 16 years ago, I learned something that shifted everything. I couldn't survive without help. And I realized that asking for help wasn't a weakness at all. It was a superpower. A belief I still hold.

Over time, though, I slowly began to unlearn it.

The environment I was in celebrated my drive, my ability to push through, my endurance. Those were the things that got noticed. Piece by piece, I found myself questioning who I was more than I even realized. Independence started to feel like the only way forward.

At first, it looked like strength. People admired how much I could carry, hello hustle culture. But what looked like strength was really survival mode.

Survival mode teaches you how to endure, not how to heal. It keeps you upright but never lets you rest. It keeps you going, but never lets you catch your breath.

And here's what I know now: real strength is different. It's softer. It's asking for help before you collapse. It's admitting you're human, not a machine. It’s creating a supportive community that lifts one another up.

That's the strength I want to live in. Not survival. Healing.

XO, Indie

PS: These days, my name isn’t about being Independent Lisa. It’s about being Indie Lee — a woman who knows that strength isn’t about standing alone.