“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”~ Brené Brown

I didn’t look back on my late teens/early 20s kindly or fondly.

I had gone through a lot of trauma is the first parts of my life which led me to developing anxiety and depression during this time. I was very unwell, and in a state of deep sadness almost all of the time. No, it didnt show on the outside(the people pleaser in me came to the rescue then, in damaging ways ofcourse!).

All my relationships at that time in my life felt toxic, unstable, full of anxiety and insecurity. I was riddled with self-doubt.

My body was yelling out. I had a heap of physical symptoms of anxiety, I had stomach cramps, that no doctor could find the cause or cure of.

Looking back now, I have compassion for this younger self (this needed work, as originally I looked back with anger, guilt and shame).

I understand where my symptoms, struggles and behaviours came from and I can hold loving space for them and my younger self.

I overcame my depression, learned to listen to my body, dissociated less, and came to a place where I am now genuinely happy in my own skin.