• It will pass

    What advice would you give to your teenage self?

    High school was very difficult for me as I was psychologically abused at home & bullied in school. No place was safe for me emotionally or physically. So, I learned I had to find safe spaces I could go to. If it wasn’t for the few safe spaces I had I think I’d be long dead from suicide.

    The advice I’d give my younger self is that the hard times do pass, even though it doesn’t feel like it. I had a very toxic childhood I’d not wish on anyone.

    By thriving playing my cello & finding people who I could trust I slowly made it through high school. It took Habitat for Humanity for 4 years to show me that I was capable & able to finish & run projects as a site leader.

    It gave me confidence & silenced the toxic inner voice that wasn’t. To this day I think it changed my life for the better-it gave me hope when I no longer had it.

    Has an organization helped you get through some difficult time? If so. How?

  • Tell my husband/ family

    You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

    I’ve gotten some good news & I always share it with my husband & then my family. I’m grateful for the small moments every day & not just the big.

    It can be meeting a kind person in a public place or making all my buses on the way home. Either way I’m always grateful for the small moments.

    If it’s big news then I pick up the phone & call my husband. Because I want him to know first. Then I call my family.

    How do you share big news?

  • Contemplation

    I guess I’ve gotten to that age where I no longer feel desperate for friendships. I’m done chasing people that obviously don’t care.

    I’ve had good friends that I’ve known since college, nearly 30 years. I may not see them constantly but they are in my life.

    I’m becoming more grateful for the people that want to be in my life than the people that don’t. I’m simply done chasing people. That feels pretty good. It reminds me of my 20’s & all those ultimatums & grand plans I used to make with the guys I dated. No more living in that bubble of distortion.

    Have you ever felt desperate for a friend?