I was criticized recently for sharing my vulnerabilities. I expected it. Still, it stung. I felt myself get defensive. But here’s the truth: I will not stop. I will not shrink. I will not silence myself to make others comfortable.

Because sometimes people lose hope—not because they’re weak, but because they’ve been hurt. Because they think no one understands. I know that feeling. I’ve lived it. That’s why I share my story. Because hope is quiet rebellion—and I want others to have a piece of it.

Because sharing your story isn’t weakness—it’s power.

Here’s why I speak up, even when it’s uncomfortable:

 1. To Break the Isolation

When I was healing, I felt alone. Utterly alone. I share now so others know they’re not. You can heal. I did. And you can too.

 2. To Shatter Generational Silence

I’m passionate about breaking generational patterns. I’ve done the work. My kids are thriving. That cycle ends with me—and it can end with you too.

 3. Because Survival Births Purpose

When you’ve survived something hard, it changes you. It calls you. Sharing becomes a mission. A responsibility. A gift.

 4. Because I See the Cost of Silence

In my office, I see people every day who’ve been taught to “suck it up.” They start to heal when they realize: they’re not the only ones. Their pain isn’t shameful. It’s human.

 5. Because Silence Isn’t Healing

Healing doesn’t happen in the dark. It happens in the light. Speaking your truth—loudly, bravely—is how we reclaim our stories.

 6. For My Mother—and the Ancestors Before Me

I speak for my mother, who had to keep her silence. And for the ancestors before me—men and women—who carried their pain quietly, who never got the chance to speak their truth. I carry their voices in mine. I speak so their stories echo forward.

 7. Because It’s Never Too Late

You are not too old. You are not too broken. You are not too far gone. Healing is always possible. Always.

 8. Because I Refuse to Wear a Mask

I share so people know I’m authentic—not performative. Keeping up a mask isn’t strength. It’s self-abandonment. I stand in my truth because that’s the only place healing lives. Pretending everything’s fine when it’s not? That’s not bravery. That’s bondage. And I’m done with it.

Authenticity sometimes pisses people off. But it also lets survivors—and the people in your life—know they can trust you. That they’re safe with you. There are already too many places where we feel like we have to pretend. Relationship should not be one of them. And I’m sure as hell not going to do that to the people I love, the people I work with every day, or to myself.

The Truth About Growth—and Why Some People Resist It

Here’s something I’ve learned: when you grow, not everyone will cheer. Some people will try to pull you back into the version of you that made them comfortable—the one who swallowed silence while in pain. The one who didn’t ask for accountability. The one who didn’t speak up.

They also tend to blame survivors. “Why didn’t you see the red flags?” “You’re too smart for that.”

But here’s what I want you to know: Someone hurting you is not a sign of your weakness. It’s a reflection of theirs.

And yes—sometimes people get uncomfortable when you speak truth. When you stop minimizing. When you stop protecting their feelings over your own healing. But I’m not afraid of accountability. I’m not afraid of making people uncomfortable if it means we all learn to treat each other better.

Because here’s the truth: they don’t get to write my story. I do.

How to Share Your Story—Even When You're Scared

If you’re holding back your truth because you’re afraid of what others will think—hear this:

• You don’t owe anyone your silence.

• Your story is not too messy, too dark, or too complicated.

• You are not too much. You are not too late.

Start small. Speak to someone safe. Write it down. Say it out loud in the mirror. Then say it to the world.

You don’t need permission. You don’t need approval. You just need courage—and you already have it.

Your story might be the key that unlocks someone else’s healing. So share it. Loudly. Bravely. Unapologetically.

Let’s heal out loud.

And remember this:

Secrets keep you imprisoned. Truth sets you free. Every time you speak your truth, you loosen the chains. You reclaim your voice. You step into freedom. Your story might be someone else’s survival guide. And, most importantly, no one gets to write your story. You do.