Everyone has a voice and everyone has a story. And telling your story is different for everyone. It’s been a long journey for me to tell my story without shame. My story is powerful and impactful and in my 20’s it was very different from it is now that I am in my 40’s.
A few years ago, I faced my fear of sharing my story with 10,000 people reading and knowing my story but do it from a place where I am no longer the victim. My hope is that instead of looking at my story with pity, people will feel inspired that they too can follow their dreams, being themselves and using their own voice!
Here’s what I shared:
From Foster Care to Creating Freedom
I have had enough experiences that last me multiple lifetimes.
- I am a foster child and grew up in the system since I was 2
- I was sexual, emotionally and physically abused during this time
- I was raped twice in adolescent years
- I gave up a son at birth
- I struggled with alcohol abuse and self-destruction until I had my a DUI
- I loved the wrong people for the longest time and was a co-dependent
- Left a 9-year relationship that had detoured into something else
- I’ve seen my children struggle and succeed and struggle some more
- I have watched my youngest son fight for his life from three liver transplants
Telling your story matters, here’s why:
Because people told me that I would not succeed and that I could not live my dream life. I have learned that listening to others is for the birds and that I love to go against what people tell me I should do.
Here is what I know from the depth of my heart:
You have got to believe in your dream and know that you must earn your dream.
What I didn’t realize is that by following my heart that it would give me the ultimate life I wanted. A life with freedom. But it also gave me so much more than that.
A life filled with love from my boys, my friends and most importantly, love from me.
Love yourself and you will not only create your freedom but find your voice and unlock your confidence!
The feedback I received was overwhelming and had me in tears. So, supportive and yet here is what I really got out of it: I could inspire and motivate people. I made connections and build relationships. I could love myself through my story by showing others that it doesn’t matter where you come from, all you need is to believe that you can.
It has been an amazing experience to be so open about it all and be transparent about my past.
I haven’t always felt good about myself or my past let alone despite appearance thought life was good. Life was damn shitty at times and I am owning it. Life was freaking hard on more than one occasion but the key has always been to not live there.
No matter how difficult things may get, there is always away. You just should allow yourself to take a moment and go within. Give yourself the rest that you need. Journal it out, writing about your thoughts and feelings is one amazing tool for you to reflect on in the future because you can then go back and see how far you have come.
Situations are temporary and you can’t control them anyway. What you can control is you and how you feel and respond to everything in your world.
Telling your story is important – people in this world deserve and need to know that change is possible. That having a life that feels could is doable.
Please don’t hide your story for fear of judgment or criticism. Your story matters!
