My life hasn’t been easy. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. As a child, I knew we were grateful to have food on the table. And I didn’t have much guidance or affection growing up. Feeling unsure of myself, I made decisions that created more pain. I didn’t know any better at the time.

Growing up, I wouldn’t have comprehended how my life was about to unfold. Years of struggle, depression, anxiety, and determination. Seemingly an odd combination. Yet, it was the determination that kept me alive, kept me fighting, and allowed me to find my truth.

To be honest, the determination at times kept me stuck. Why? Because I didn’t realize that I was determined to stay a victim. I was determined to hold onto the very things that were causing me immense pain.

I want to share my journey with you in hopes that you can find yourself in it. We all go through different experiences, yet we are all very much alike deep down. We crave love, affection, and attention.

This is my story.

I hope it inspires you to recognize your own strength and opportunity.

Things hit rock bottom in 2008, it all started with a knock on the door. My world would never be the same again. When I opened the door, it was a police officer informing me “there’s been an accident.” My fiancé was driving my jeep and had been thrown from the vehicle. Consequently, he was airlifted to the hospital.

The blur of those days and even years after that led me to question my life, beliefs, and my self-worth. You see, two years before losing my fiancé, I lost my best friend in a car accident. As a result, I began to question if life was even worth living…