Use Your Voice

Everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something hard. The level of hard varies from person to person. My level of hard, is one that is more than the people I tend to come across.

I grew up always being told "what happens in this house, stays in this house." I never thought too much about it. That's just the way it was. Turns out, I was being told this because what happened in my house was much different than what was happening in others.

When you grow up in your house, you just assume that what you are going through is normal. It was not until my late teens did I discover that what I thought was normal, was far from it. It's no wonder why I was a very depressed teen. Why I tried to take my own life, twice. Why I used self harm as a tool to deal with my emotions. It's no wonder why my first marriage was to a man who was physically and verbally abusive. This lifestyle was "normal".

Except, IT'S NOT!

If there was a way to go back and talk to my younger self and tell that little girl to speak up, I would. It is too late for that little girl. But I will be damn sure to use my voice everyday going forward. I will use my voice to get my needs met. To be in a safe place. To never let anyone overpower me again. To never let anyone take advantage of me.