Before my life began to feel like a fairytale, I walked through a lot of darkness. There were countless nights I spent crying, and so many days sitting in my car, screaming and singing at the top of my lungs just to let something out. Toxic relationships and low self-esteem wore me down. I struggled with co-dependency, depression, and anxiety. Most days, I was simply overwhelmed by sadness. There were still happy moments along the way, but the brightest one came when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. And when she was born, everything shifted. She became my turning point—my proof that even after so much pain, something beautiful could grow. She is the light in the middle of my story, and the reason my life finally began to feel like it could be more than the hurt I’d survived.

I had a wonderful childhood filled with love from my mom and dad. My mom devoted herself entirely to my sister and me, while my dad, despite his struggles with alcohol, loved us deeply. He faced challenges with sobriety for years, but eventually triumphed and has now been sober for 22 years. Throughout that journey, he navigated a divorce, and our mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a courageous three-year battle, we lost her. This was particularly hard, as my sister had just turned 12 the day before, and I was 14. Despite the difficulties of our teenage years, we couldn’t be more proud of our dad’s commitment to sobriety.

My mother was my best friend and my everything. Losing her felt like losing a part of myself. It took time for me to rediscover who I was, and I grappled with depression and co-dependency for an extended period. Eventually, I began seeing a therapist who genuinely understood and helped me. Previously, I had spoken to other therapists, especially after my mother’s passing, but I struggled to open up and connect with them.

Through my experiences with trauma, I’ve learned an essential truth: change requires a conscious choice. If you want to heal, you must reach out to someone who can guide you. Seeking help is vital to overcoming trauma and nurturing your heart, mind, and soul. Life is too precious to be spent in turmoil and distress. You must learn to embrace happiness and cherish life. Above all, it’s crucial to love yourself for who you are!