Survivors’ Anthem Series # 42: “Step On Me” - Maddie Zahm
- Shannon Brown
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
Finding Strength After Leaving
Some survivor anthems help us survive.
Some help us heal.
And some arrive at exactly the moment we need to remember our worth.
This is Survivors’ Anthem # 42:
And like several songs in this series, this anthem was shared with me by another survivor.
They told me this song gave them strength after leaving a domestic violence relationship.
After listening to it, I could immediately understand why.
The Moment You Stop Accepting Less
One of the most difficult parts of surviving abuse is what it does to your sense of worth.
Abuse has a way of convincing people that they deserve less.
Less respect.
Less kindness.
Less love.
Less space.
Less voice.
Over time, those messages can become so familiar that they begin to feel normal.
But they aren't normal.
And they aren't true.
"Step On Me" feels like the moment a survivor finally realizes that.
The moment they decide they deserve more.
Reclaiming Your Voice
Leaving an abusive relationship takes incredible courage.
Not just physically.
Emotionally.
Mentally.
Spiritually.
It means untangling yourself from years of manipulation, fear, self-doubt, and conditioning.
It means learning to trust yourself again.
And that journey isn't easy.
But it is powerful.
This song captures that power. The power of realizing your voice matters. The power of recognizing your value. The power of saying:
"You don't get to define my worth anymore."
Learning That Love Shouldn't Hurt
One of the biggest lessons many survivors learn is that love should never require sacrificing yourself.
Love should not require fear.
Love should not require silence.
Love should not require shrinking yourself to make someone else comfortable.
Healthy love allows you to be fully yourself.
And healing often begins when survivors start believing they deserve that.
A Survivor's Anthem
What I love most about this song is that it doesn't just acknowledge pain.
It acknowledges strength.
The strength it takes to leave.
The strength it takes to rebuild.
The strength it takes to choose yourself after spending so long choosing survival.
That strength deserves to be celebrated.
A Thank You
To the survivor who shared this anthem with me:
Thank you for trusting me with a song that meant so much to your healing journey.
One of my favorite parts of the Survivors’ Anthem Series is discovering music through other survivors and seeing how different songs can help us through similar struggles.
And to Maddie Zahm, thank you for creating music that helps people recognize their worth and reclaim their power.
What This Anthem Means to Me
For me, this anthem represents something survivors often have to relearn:
You deserve respect.
You deserve kindness.
You deserve safety.
You deserve love that doesn't require you to disappear.
And most importantly-
You deserve to choose yourself.
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 understand my trauma.
Some helped me find my voice.
This anthem represents something equally important:
Remembering your worth after someone tried to convince you that you didn't have any.
As the series continues, I'll keep sharing the songs that shaped my journey, and the songs other survivors trusted me enough to share.
Because sometimes healing begins... the moment you stop believing the things your abuser taught you about yourself.
🛡️ Survivor Support & Safety Awareness
Part of healing is also finding ways to feel safe again.
That's why I'm proud to be in collaboration with Hootie Security Alarms. 💜
As a survivor of childhood abuse and domestic violence, personal safety is incredibly important to me.
💜 For every 4 Hooties I sell, 1 is donated to a domestic violence shelter.
Visit gethootie.com and use code JANE for 10% off your order.
Because everyone deserves to feel safe.
💜 Continue the Journey
The Survivors’ Anthem Series is more than a collection of songs, it's a journey through survival, healing, and strength.
📖 Read Because of Jane
💜 Learn about The Jane Project
Because sometimes the song that helped one survivor heal... becomes the song that helps another survivor find their strength.
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