“I’ve gained the confidence that I can move forward”: the story of a woman who learned to hear herself

Oksana Nikoliaychuk receiving her certificate from Olga Dyakova, co-founder of Impact Force, at the final event of the “ReStart of Consciousness” program, November 2025/ Impact Force 

This is the story of a participant of the “ReStart of Consciousness 2025” mental resilience and recovery program, implemented by the NGO “Impact Force,” where she found a balance between strength and self-care. This project became possible with the technical support of UN Women and funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). 

Oksana Nikolaichuk is one of those Ukrainian women whose story isn’t about outward heroism, but about inner quiet, reflection, and finding herself again. Her path is about growing through care, honesty, and love, that helps you keep going no matter what.

“I learned not to pressure myself, but to support myself. That was the biggest discovery of the past few years,” says Oksana.

Before 2022, she lived an ordinary life: she worked and raised her children. But with the Russia’s full-scale invasion, just like for millions of others, her familiar world had to be rebuilt. She didn’t lose her home or loved ones, but she felt the ground shift inside — and that became a turning point. 

Photo: from Oksana’s personal archive

“Physically, the war didn’t affect me, but it affected my mind deeply. It uncovered everything I had been hiding from myself, everything that kept me from being true. I realized I didn’t want to live the way I used to. I didn’t want to adjust, stay silent, or play roles anymore. Life is mine — and it’s the only one I have. I saw that it was time to take responsibility and change myself and my world.”

From employee to independence

The turning point came in 2023, when Oksana changed her profession, left her job, and started working independently.

“In this new field, I had to start from scratch. I worked nonstop, from morning till night, while constantly studying. I put myself last. I burned out completely and hit rock bottom. I was diagnosed with diabetes. I lost a lot of weight, had no energy left — I was fading. I had to go to a psychologist to pull myself out of that emotional hole, and I realized: either I change everything, or I simply won’t make it.”

Oksana began paying more attention to her own well-being, understanding that self-care isn’t selfish — it’s the foundation of stability and strength. She learned to set boundaries and finally left a long toxic relationship.

“It felt like I was losing faith, but at the same time I understood that there was no way back. And even if I moved slowly, step by step, I kept moving forward — through the fear of the unknown and the fear of what others might say.”

ReStart of Consciousness as a point of support

The “ReStart of Consciousness” program came into Oksana’s life at the moment she needed it most. She calls joining it a coincidence, but perhaps it was exactly the opportunity life offered at the right time.

“ReStart of Consciousness” is a program for Ukrainian women affected by the Russia’s war in Ukraine. It creates a safe space for healing, learning stress-management techniques, developing daily recovery habits, improving digital security, and processing traumatic experiences. Its goal is to strengthen mental resilience and help women thrive despite the challenges they face. The program became possible thanks to funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and technical support from UN Women, which helped bring this large-scale initiative to life.

“It all happened almost on its own. I saw information about the program, and something inside told me to try. And I wasn’t wrong. It was a time of deep change.” 

Oksana Nikoliaychuk receiving her certificate from Olga Dyakova, co-founder of Impact Force, at the final event of the “ReStart of Consciousness” program, November 2025/ Impact Force 

For her, the experience became more than just learning — it became a space of support and awareness. She learned to recognize her emotions, work with anxiety, and find balance and calm.

“Many of the techniques and practical exercises I learned in the program helped me support myself, get through hard moments, and process negative experiences. They became part of my everyday life. I learned to take care of myself, analyze situations, and build healthy communication with people. I’m learning not just to survive, but to live — and there’s a huge difference.”

Inner changes that show on the outside

“I feel happier, more mature, more confident. And most importantly — alive. I’m learning to trust myself, support myself, and accept myself with all my imperfections. I’ve learned to manage my reactions and actions. I finally feel confident that I can move forward with my own inner strength.”

Oksana has started sleeping better. She’s still searching for her big dream, but the vision of her future is becoming clearer. She believes that being a woman today means balancing strength and softness, determination and sensitivity.

“It’s the ability to balance work, family, and taking care of yourself. For me, it’s also about freedom of choice: I can be a professional, a mother, and simply a woman — all at the same time.”

Today, Oksana continues working on herself and looking for new meaning. She reminds us: the path back to yourself is the most important victory anyone can achieve.

Her story is about quiet but essential steps toward oneself — about how a woman, living through war, learns to protect her inner space, listen to her own needs, and take care of her mental health even when everything around feels uncertain. Oksana’s journey reminds us: caring for yourself is not weakness or selfishness, but the foundation that helps you stay afloat, live, and keep moving forward in difficult times.

This project is produced by The Impact Force, funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine. The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.