You Can Reach Heights If You Have Family Support – Here Is My Story

Originally published on May 7, 2021 | Last updated on August 8, 2025

Family support can make or break someone’s journey, especially when you’re a woman balancing societal expectations, motherhood, and your own aspirations. In my story, the turning point came only when I received the right kind of family support—from my husband, parents, and sister. This blog is a glimpse into how the unwavering support from loved ones helped me find my identity, rebuild my confidence, and ultimately follow my passion for teaching and writing.

How Family Support Helped Me Reclaim My Life

In the most difficult phases of my life, when dreams felt distant and hope seemed lost, it was family support that quietly held me together. Whether it was emotional strength during chaos, or silent encouragement when I chose to resume my education after years, the role of my husband, parents, and sister became the foundation of every small victory. Family support didn’t just help me survive—it helped me rediscover who I truly was.

I, married at the age of 18, only to face the hustle-bustle, chaos, dramas, real literal fights, etc., and believe me, these are no ones’ cup of tea. AND I don’t know why but I also accepted this all to be my destiny. My hubby is a loving person who never bothered me. HUH! But you may be knowing about the typical joint families. No money in hand [except what I got from my parents]; life was torturing me. No dreams, no life, no ambitions, no goals, it seemed like ‘bas jiye jaa rahe hain.’

Then somehow pleading in front of my MIL, I got permission to complete my graduation and then my post-graduation after my daughter’s birth. It took me 12 long years after my twelfth to complete my studies.

Without family support, continuing my education after 12 years wouldn’t have been possible. It was my parents, sister, and eventually my husband who motivated me to chase my dream. I always dreamt of teaching as my profession but lacked support and degree. Then after 14 long years of my marriage, my son was born, and we switched to a nuclear family.

Alas, here starts my journey, my life of passion, my love for books took over me, and I started my private tuitions with the support of my husband, my parents, and my sister. I was never confident that I could take this so far because all these 15 years of my life in a joint family and its tantrums have left me broken and shattered. I started with manual tuition for one kid, and for 1.5 years, I only had 2 of them as my students. But as it is said, ‘Koshish karne wali ki Kabhi har nhi hoti.’ (The one who tries, never fails)

My parents and my sister believed in me, and my husband proved to be my support system, and after two years [2016-2018], people came to know about my teaching style, and after that, I have never looked back.

But as we all know that the year 2020 was a terrible one due to the world stuck by the Covid pandemic. The classes were again shut, and then I started online classes. During that tough year, life as a wife, a mother, and a teacher became tough. I  was not ready to make my students suffer, so I started online classes and reduced my fee structure to negligible. In the beginning, it was tough to manage the time with hands sometimes burnt while cooking and sometimes bloated in ink while writing notes for my students; head aching while teaching my kids, and so many of them that can’t be given words.

The Story You Need to Hear: Dhara Shah’s Journey of Unbelievable Strength

Though the time is tough to date, it has been more than a year managing all, and now slowly, I am getting used to it. Today the reality is that it’s tough for me to spend my Saturdays and Sundays sitting idle and nothing to do.

Every day I get up at 5:30 am because I have class from 6 am to 8 am in morning. Then doing my household chores till 11:00 am and then from 11:30 – 2 pm have classes online, 2-6 offline classes, and again 7- 11 online, it’s really fun. In the meantime completing my cooking, etc., teaching my kids. Now my nights are restless only when my kids and students have exams the next day. I am rewarded when my students score good grades, when they share their teacher’s feedback, when their parents share their family issues, and so on.

I believe for a teacher – the students are an extended family. It is due to them all that today I have regained my identity, my strength, all by the grace of almighty. I now have a small community of 15-17 students, and they make me feel contended. It’s not always the money that matters but more importantly; it’s the satisfaction and respect you get from your passion.

This was the life I dreamt of. And recently, for two weeks, I am following my passion for writing, and my dear friend Namita Singla Ji [ a gem of heart ] has provided me an opportunity to do so.

ZINDAGI YUHI GUJAR RAHI THI,

BINA KOI AHMIYAT LIYE,

KHUD KI KHUDI KO KHO CHUKE THE

BINA KOI ZEHMAT LIYE ..

AAJ KE HALAATON NE

YE SAMJHA DIYA JANAB HUME,

ZINDAGI HAR KISIKO EK MAUKA DETI HAI ..

BANDE KI KISMAT USIKE HAATH H YAAR

JO HO KOI SAAF NIYAT LIYE..

#byrituraj

Family support isn’t just about financial or physical help—it’s about believing in someone when they have stopped believing in themselves. I’m living proof that with the right emotional backing, any woman can rise above her circumstances. Whether it’s your husband standing beside you, your parents cheering you on, or your sister silently lifting you up—family support has the power to heal, empower, and transform lives.

Related read: How Indians View Gender Roles in Families and Society

If this story touched your heart, take a moment to reflect on the power of family support in your own life. Whether you’re receiving it or offering it to someone silently struggling, remember—family support can be the spark that reignites dreams.

Share this story with someone who needs a little encouragement today. Because sometimes, all we need is one person to believe in us. ❤️

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