I recently finished reading Isola, a fictional story based on a true story.

I read this story of resilience just in time. It’s like I stored up Marguerite’s strength just when I needed it most during my own pregnancy.

A few days ago, I woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain. We went to the hospital to make sure there wasn’t too much fluid around my heart.

This is the most amount of pain I’ve felt during my pregnancy. I worried about the baby. I was breathing hard and fast. I whispered through my body to the baby, “We’re safe.” I thought of Marguerite, who lived in the harsh winters with little food and who birthed her baby in the wild.

I used this story as resilience and fuel during my ER visit. If Marguerite could survive her incredible ordeal, then surely my baby and I would survive this. There was heroism in her bravery, same as mine.

Fiction pulses the truth through us. It injects us with wisdom, knowledge, and story. This experience solidified my thoughts on self-improvement, nonfiction, and fiction — and the roles they play in our lives.

Here’s my cheat sheet to feeling better (weight loss, more energy, less anxiety, no cramps, no headaches, less skin problems, etc).