Ana Sofia
“Never put limits on yourself. You are a powerful, beautiful queen and you will conquer everything you dreamed of if you fight for it and follow your heart.”
Ana Sofia —also known to friends as “Sue” — is guided by her emotional intelligence. She appreciates the simple things in life and loves to bring joy to those around her. Through an unforgettable experience at a young age, she learned to always look out for others, and that despite the many external forces that may encompass our lives, to always put one’s own health and happiness first. Meet Ana Sofia. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
A: Hi! My name is Ana Sofia Alves, also known by my friends as Sue. I am 27 years old and I live in the beautiful city of Oporto in Portugal.
K: Describe yourself in your own words.
A: I am an old soul. I am very passionate, love to socialize and meet new people, and learn about new cultures and new artforms. I am an independent person, I love to help those in need but I’ve always had a hard time asking for help when I need it. Being a strong Taurus woman, I am very proud, practical, hardworking, focused but I also like to enjoy the best things in life — like traveling, eating and sleeping. Basically, I am a human being just like everyone else but with my own personalized touch of uniqueness.
K: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
A: I would say that my resilience and my way of thinking outside the box are two qualities that I really appreciate in myself. I really like the way I fight for what I believe, mainly when I know it will bring joy to someone, eventually.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
A: When I was younger, my friend and I came across a lady on a bridge about to commit suicide. With her she brought her ID and a letter, a letter that to this day, I do not know what was written there.
I remember it was cold and pouring rain that night, the street was deserted, and just a lady in a pink robe at the top of the bridge. Calmly, my friend and I approached her and started talking to her. We learned that, unfortunately, the lady suffered abuse and aggression from her husband and that her two children lived outside the country and did not know that this could happen to their own mother. We are talking about a lady who was 64 at the time and who simply thought it was time to end all that suffering once and for all.
I can't even tell you for sure how many hours we spent there with her, which seemed to me to be an indefinable amount of time. A long time later we managed to get the lady out of there, we took her home, where she was friendly to the point of giving us towels to dry our clothes and umbrellas for the rest of our way home.
Why am I telling this story today? First, because I think it took a lot of courage and strength on the part of this lady to take a step back, even after all the suffering. Second, thanks to this meeting between us and her, the world is not deprived of knowing this wonderful soul.
I never saw this lady again, but I know she was fine after this, free from further aggression and finally happy and at peace. This moment changed my way of thinking and facing what we call life. Today, thanks to her, I know I will never let anyone ruin my happiness. No one should dictate our future except us.
K: What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: Never put limits on yourself. You are a powerful, beautiful queen and you will conquer everything you dreamed of if you fight for it and follow your heart.
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
A: I don’t think I’ve ever asked myself this question. Being a woman is still hard these days, however it’s the most wonderful, precious, and powerful thing ever to me! We’re life sources!
I consider myself a feminist, and above all I believe that we are all equal and all deserving. So, for me, being a woman is being free to make my own decisions, being respected and loving who I want to, like anyone else on this earth.
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
A: Honestly, there are countless women who are the perfect role model, and I admire them all. I can't choose one but what I would like to say to all women in this world is: thank you for fighting for yourself every day, you beautiful creature.