There was a time in my life when I didn’t recognise the woman in the mirror. I had been strong for so long — too long — and somewhere along the way, I forgot what it meant to truly be me.
Silence became my safety net. I kept my feelings neatly folded, hidden beneath polite smiles and busy days. It was easier that way. Until one day, it wasn’t.
The shift came quietly, not in a dramatic moment, but in the stillness after one. I realised I had spent years speaking for others, helping others find their courage, while my own voice had been waiting patiently to be heard.
Healing, I learned, doesn’t happen in a straight line. It happens in tiny steps, gentle reminders, and brave choices. For me, it began when I stopped running from my story and started owning it.
At first, sharing felt impossible. My voice trembled, my heart pounded, and a part of me worried what people would think. But every time I spoke, someone would reach out and say, “That’s exactly how I felt.” And suddenly, I wasn’t alone.
That’s the magic of lived experience, it connects us in ways logic never can. My pain became purpose, my fear became fuel, and my story became a bridge.
Over time, I discovered that vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s truth in motion. And truth is where healing begins. By letting others see the unpolished parts of my journey, I gave myself permission to breathe again.
Now, when I speak, I do it with the awareness that someone out there might need to hear those same words to find their own courage.
That’s why I started The Impactful Voice Project™ — because I believe stories like ours deserve to be seen and celebrated. We’ve lived through storms and found sunlight again. Our voices can guide others toward hope.
If you’ve walked through something that changed you, your story matters. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to share.
✨ Because healing begins the moment we stop hiding our truth.
