There is power in your story. You may have heard that a lot or maybe you’ve never heard it before, either way, there is probably some uncertainty around what that means and the implications it will have for you.
I grew up believing that my story didn’t matter. That, because I didn’t have a specific diagnosis or obvious struggle, no one would ever care about what I had to say. I wish I could go back now and tell my younger self that my story has become the driving force for everything I do and believe in. I wish I could tell her the certainty I have found within my story, an undeniable knowing that I will not let my past go to waste.
It took a long time, and, if I am honest, a lot of therapy and faithful friends to begin trusting this, but over time I did. I allowed myself to open up to trusted friends and show them the hidden, tender parts of my heart I slowly started finding my worth again. Not in the good opinion of others, but in the safety of discovering that my story wasn’t one full of shame like I had thought that it was. It wasn’t as hopeless as I had thought it was. In fact, as I began to talk about it more and more, I discovered that the darkest parts of my story were filled with tidbits of hope that I would have never seen. There really was a light within the darkness. An undeniable hope in my heart that things would work out exactly the way they were supposed to. This is what I clung to, it wasn’t pretty, it still isn’t, but I am proud of it.
So, let me say it again, there is power in your story. I would go as far as to say that there is a power within your story that absolutely no one else can provide. Opening up is hard, letting those softest parts of you become exposed can seem daunting but my goodness is it worth it. I heard it said once that it is our stories that connect us to the world and the people around us. Did you catch that? It’s not our phones, our social media posts, our political opinions or our beliefs. It is, quite simply (and quite complexly), our stories.
Don’t let shame or hurt or embarrassment stop you from sharing what it is that makes you who you are. Don’t let it stop you from connecting to those around you.
Much love x.
-Aimee
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