“The less we talk about shame, the more control it has over our lives.” ~Brené Brown The pain and suffering I experienced as a child, which I kept hidden for over a decade, was the very seed that gave me the strength, resilience, empathy, authenticity, and courage that I possess today—but only because I surrendered the old story to embrace a new one.
I alchemized my pain into my fuel, my traumas as contributions to my triumphs, and my curses into my greatest blessings. But all of this came with a very hefty price.
Growing up with a single mother who worked two jobs to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table and with an estranged, abusive father who robbed me of my innocence and self-worth taught me that life’s odds were against me.
This shaped my identity. I believed I couldn’t rely on or be safe around men and that a scarce number of resources were available for me.