TODAY, on International Women's Day, I'd like to share a story with you about a shy girl with a dream.
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On top of being shy, this young girl was chubby and loved to read and write.
At primary school and high school this was not the best way to make friends or fit in.
In her teens she discovered a love of table tennis.
To begin with her skills were severely lacking.
But her father saw how much she loved to play so he bought a table tennis table and the two played every single night without fail.
Slowly but surely the young girl's skills began to improve.
She went to play at the Warrnambool Table Tennis Association and slowly made her way through the ranks to A grade.
Her father, determined to ensure he helped her achieve her goals, took her on the road to play in tournaments across the state.
There were many days when the trip home was long because the girl had lost all her matches.
But one thing this young girl's father taught her was to never give up.
The young girl went on to represent Victoria in the nationals in the under 18 competition and came home from Townsville with a gold medal.
The same girl always knew she wanted to write.
She decided she wanted to be a journalist.
The girl completed work experience at The Standard in Warrnambool.
She loved it but was still shy and feared she had not made the greatest impression.
As luck would have it she landed a casual job at The Standard helping to compile the cricket teams.
After university the girl struggled to find a job as a journalist.
So she took a job selling advertising for a phone directory and then she got her break - working for a weekly newspaper - The Moyne Gazette.
The girl loved it and knew she was doing what she was supposed to.
But there were knocks along the way.
She put her hand up for a special project that didn't work out and was made redundant.
The girl contemplated a different career, but in her heart she knew she wouldn't be happy doing anything else.
An opportunity came up in Mount Isa - a position of deputy editor.
At first it seemed like a crazy idea - but pushed by those around her, she took a chance and along with her fiance, son and dog she drove from Warrnambool in Victoria to Mount Isa.
The girl loved Mount Isa but another opportunity presented itself in Griffith in NSW.
The opportunity was as editor of The Area News.
The girl took a chance and got the job.
That's where I find myself today - as editor of The Area News, The Irrigator and The Observer.
I count my blessings every single day.
But this story is not supposed to be about my achievements - it's a story about a girl who was taught to never give up.
That's what I want all females to know on this special day. You have to fight for what you want.
There will be people who will try and take you down.
You'll have moments of self doubt.
But you have to dust yourself off and get back up to fight another round.
The rewards are more than worth it.