Survivors’ Anthem Series #33: “Reflection” - Lea Salonga and Christina Aguiera

Finding Yourself Again

Some survivor anthems are about strength.

Some are about survival.

And some are about something even harder…

Trying to recognize yourself again after everything has changed.

This is Survivors’ Anthem # 33:

“Reflection” — from Mulan, sung by Lea Salonga and Christina Aguilera.

And this one hit me in a way I will never forget.

Looking in the Mirror

After I was sexually abused, something shifted inside of me.

I was still young.

Still a child.

And yet… I didn’t recognize myself anymore.

I would look in the mirror and feel disconnected.

Like the person staring back at me wasn’t really me.

Because something had been taken from me that I didn’t have the words to explain.

And at that age… I didn’t understand why I felt the way I did.

Only that I wasn’t the same.

Hearing the Song for the First Time

The first time I heard “Reflection,” I cried.

Because for the first time, I felt like someone had put words to something I didn’t know how to say.

“When will my reflection show who I am inside?”

That question stayed with me.

Because I didn’t know who I was anymore.

I didn’t know how to connect the girl I used to be with the feelings I now carried.

And hearing that song made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t before.

When Identity Feels Lost

One of the hardest parts of trauma, especially at a young age, is the way it can disconnect you from yourself.

You start to question:

Who am I now?

Am I still the same person?

Will I ever feel like myself again?

“Reflection” captures that feeling so beautifully and painfully.

It’s not just about identity.

It’s about loss.

Confusion.

And the quiet longing to feel whole again.

A Song That Means Something Different to Everyone

What makes this song so powerful is that it can mean something different to everyone.

For some, it’s about identity.

For some, it’s about expectations.

For others, it’s about not feeling seen.

For me… It was about trying to find myself again after something was taken from me too soon.

A Thank You

To Lea Salonga and Christina Aguilera, thank you for giving voice to something so many people feel but don’t always know how to express.

Your voices carried emotion, vulnerability, and truth in a way that reached me when I needed it most.

What This Anthem Means to Me

For me, this anthem represents one of the most difficult parts of healing:

Learning to reconnect with yourself.

Learning that what happened to you does not define who you are.

And slowly, over time…Learning to see yourself again, not through the lens of trauma, but through truth.

Because even when you feel lost…You are still there.

What’s Next in the Survivors’ Anthem Series

Every song in this series represents a different stage of healing.

Some songs helped me survive.

Some helped me process anger and grief.

Some helped me reclaim my voice.

Some are other Survivors Anthems.

This anthem represents something deeply personal:

Finding yourself again.

As the series continues, I’ll keep sharing the songs that shaped my journey through survival, healing, and strength.

Because sometimes the hardest part of healing…

is learning to recognize yourself again.

💜 Continue the Journey

The Survivors’ Anthem Series is more than a collection of songs, it’s a journey through survival, healing, and strength.

If this story resonated with you, there are more ways to stay connected and keep exploring:

🎧 Listen to the Survivors’ Anthem Playlists

Experience every song in the series on Spotify and YouTube—music that tells stories of survival, healing, and hope.

📖 Read Because of Jane

Go deeper into the story behind the series and the experiences that shaped it.

💜 Learn About The Jane Project

Discover a space created for survivors to share what helped them through—because everyone has their own “Jane.”

Because sometimes the song that helped you heal… is the one someone else needs to hear next.