This girl can

The worst thing anyone could ever tell me is that I can't do something.

All my life I have wanted to achieve everything I set my mind to, no matter what. Some might call it stubborn, but I see it as being determined.

From wanting to press the big red button that says "do not press", to wanting to ride my bike without the stabilisers straight away, I've always been determined to do whatever I have set my mind to.

My earliest memory of this is when I was at primary school. I remember being moved down from the top table in maths because I wasn't as good. I was put on a lower ability table and I was devastated.

I worked so incredibly hard, to the point where my teacher even called my mum and dad in to praise me, and was moved straight back up to the top table.

I didn't not want to be good at anything, even the things I found hard. At high school I remember going to maths revision workshops during the school holidays to make sure I was ready for my GCSEs, eventually bagging myself an A.

Similarly, when I was doing my A-Levels, and I failed my History exam in second year.

Thankfully, there was an opportunity to resit, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I went to revision sessions after college, spent hours in the library and worked my butt off to smash the exam and get the grades I needed for university.

Even now, when someone tells me I can't, or they don't think I can, do something, it makes me so determined to prove them wrong. Even if part of me is unsure whether I can actually do it!

If Tom tells me he doesn't think I'll be able to carry something upstairs because it's heavy, I will make a point of getting whatever it is right to the top to show that I can do it.

The same when the Morrisons delivery man offers to carry my shopping into the kitchen because the bags are heavy.

Hey, pal, I am a strong, independent woman - I can do this shit!

I don't think it's a bad personality trait to possess - determination. I would rather give everything my go, try my hardest at every possible opportunity, and have my sights firmly set on my goals than never bother to even try.

Part of my dad's speech at my wedding pointed towards my determination to always succeed at whatever I set my mind to.

He recalled how, when I was little, I told him I wanted my stabilisers taking off my bike. He said he got all his tools out, took said stabilisers off, and began putting his tools away before readying himself to hold onto my seat and set me off on my way. He said he expected to be running down the garden, holding my bike, before letting me go and me toppling off. It was a scene he imagined to go on for some time, but before he had even finished putting his tools back in their boxes, I was off - cycling down the garden, no stabilisers, not a care in the world.

My dad said I was always so determined to do things on my own, and whenever I set my mind to something I did it.

It's definitely a trait I still possess today. As I said above, some may see it as stubborn, but I like to call it determined.