CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT + PERSONAL DISCOVERY + WRITING FOR CHANGE
The Bravery Paradox
How writing to change your own life has a ripple effect
This article is a long time coming. I’ve tried to write it a few times over the years but each time I tried, I failed to say what I really wanted to say about it all. But I’m in a different place now. I feel stronger, more resilient, and more willing to accept the negative effects my decision set in motion. I wanted to write this piece because I believe it shows just how powerful words can be — and how words have the power to hurt as much as to heal.
On an April day in 2017, I posted a blog post that changed my life. I often ask myself, if I knew then what I know now, would I still have published it? My gut says, yes. But perhaps I would have written it from a different place… a different emotional state. But I can’t change the past, I can only reckon with the history of my decisions and try to see it from new perspectives.
The Backstory
I published a blog post titled, “I’m Not Ready to Make Nice,” back in 2017. The day my abuser sat in court to be sentenced for his latest conviction. I had been told that I could read my victim impact statement but was then denied that opportunity. I’m sure you’ve heard me…
