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The confident
At 20 years old , a car accident resulted in Marcela Marañon being confined to a wheelchair , paralyzed from the waist down . Fast forward to today . The adult Marcela enjoys a very influential spot in the social media space . Her Instagram account ,
@ thejourneyofabravewoman , which she started in 2017 “ reflects my life ,” Marcela said . “ I feel really brave putting myself out there and doing things ” but with 399,000 engaged followers , it is evident that her contribution is felt .
With a degree in communications which included taking social media classes , it was easy for Marcela to identify this medium as one worth using to spread her message . As she navigates her way through the social media biosphere , engaging with her audience and building a strong online community , followers respond positively to her posts , but Marcela admits that her presence on social media goes beyond just her travel adventures posts , fashion and clothing tips . She sees herself as a role model for women with a disability and also those without a disability . With her positive demeanour , she is empowering women to “ go ahead and reach for the stars and to do whatever they want to do with their lives , regardless of their physical limitations .”
Through social media , Marcela touches the lives of many . She feels blessed by the positive feedback she receives and to realize that many are being helped by the content she posts . Comments from parents and little girls who reach out to her saying , “ I have a disability and did not feel beautiful , but because of you , now I do ,” gives her reason to continue along that Instagram journey . Each of her posts are accompanied by happy feelings as she knows at least one person will be helped as a result . Messages from people seeking advice on the clothing they should buy that will fit them well as a wheelchair user ; questions about self-confidence , fashion and accessible travel - these make the time-consuming task of preparing Instagram content worthwhile . Marcela modestly says that she does not like to be called an influencer , but admits that some of her followers are indeed guided by the content she shares , some are inspired by it and based on the feedback she receives , can attribute some of the decisions taken by followers as having being influenced by her .
Marcela ’ s adventurous personality does not permit her to limit herself , so she frequently steps outside of her comfort zone and embarks on many journeys around the world . Travelling solo , she confidently visits countries with which she