If people weren’t afraid and could truly submit to their truth, what would your truth say about you?
For me, I had to do some deep soul-searching to answer that question. And let me tell you—it wasn’t easy. I was blinded by my own fears and numbed by my circumstances. I convinced myself that because I was moving, achieving, and “doing all the things,” I couldn’t possibly be stuck. I couldn’t possibly be held hostage by my own mind, my own trauma, or the environment that had shaped my thinking.
But when I finally broke down and stepped back, I was forced to face my truth. And what I uncovered was hard to accept. My truth revealed that everything about me—how I walked, talked, acted, and reacted—was a direct response to the trauma I had been living in for years. I had been treading water in my pain, holding on to the very things that had damaged me.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t look like what I’d been through. On the outside, everything seemed fine. I had worked hard to build a life that looked successful. I had everything society says should make you happy: the house, the career, the family, and the admiration of others. People praised me for how well I was doing. They told me how inspiring I was, how strong I seemed, how much they admired my ability to juggle it all.
But what they didn’t see was the other side.
They didn’t see the nights I cried myself to sleep because I felt so alone. They didn’t see the fear I carried—that the bills might not get paid, that my marriage might not survive, that my child might never change their ways. They didn’t see how out of place I felt, how hard I tried to fit in, or how I gave and gave, only to feel invisible. They didn’t see the pain points I carried—the ones I had learned to hide so well.
And that’s the thing about pain. We carry it with us everywhere we go. Over time, it becomes a part of us. We get so used to the weight that we convince ourselves we deserve to carry it. We don’t know life without it. We get good at covering it up, but all we’re really doing is showing the world how much baggage we’re dragging behind us.
But as we transition into the new year, I want to challenge you—and myself—to let go of that weight.
The start of a new year is an opportunity to leave behind the old and embrace the new. It’s a chance to face your truth, no matter how hard or uncomfortable it might be, and release the things that no longer serve you. The trauma, the pain, the fear, the self-doubt—it’s time to let them go.
Because here’s the truth: You can’t step into the life you’re meant to live while holding on to the things that are keeping you stuck. You can’t move forward if you’re still tethered to the past.
When you let go—when you truly release the weight of your trauma and pain—you’ll experience freedom like never before.
Here’s what I’ve learned about that kind of freedom:
1. You literally breathe easier.
2. You stop worrying about what others are doing or thinking.
3. You focus on the peace that surrounds you.
4. You know who you are, and you’re no longer triggered by other people’s words, actions, or opinions.
5. You don’t rely on others to make you happy—you find happiness within yourself. Being alone isn’t scary anymore; it’s peaceful, even sacred.
6. You know who you are, and you genuinely like who you are.
This new year is an invitation to start fresh. It’s a chance to step into your truth, to let go of the things that have been weighing you down, and to embrace the person you’re becoming.
So, as we move into this next chapter, I want you to ask yourself: If you weren’t afraid, and you truly submitted to your truth, what would it say about you? What would it tell you to leave behind? What would it challenge you to embrace?
This is your moment. Your clean slate. Your fresh start.
Let go of the past. Release the pain. And step boldly into the new year with open hands, an open heart, and a spirit ready to receive all the good things that lie ahead.
Because the truth is, you deserve to be free. You deserve to feel whole. And you deserve to walk into this new year lighter, brighter, and full of hope for what’s to come.
The question is: Are you ready to face your truth? And more importantly, are you ready to let it set you free?