"Everything you will ever need to grow is inside of you. It's been there all along"- Me
If you or someone you know is stuck in the cycle of abuse,
read on for stories, tips, articles, and resources to help get through this part of life. It doesn't have to end here. There is a new beginning waiting for you.
End the Abuse Cycle
My story
Finally, I know who I am
At the time I am writing this, I am 41 years old. I have four incredible children ranging in age from 12 to 21. We've been through a lot together. The father of my oldest two children struggled with drug addiction. The father of my youngest two children, who I would end up marrying, turned out to be a narcissistic abuser, which led to our inevitable divorce after 10 long years. My older children witnessed most of the addiction and abuse while the others were too young to understand what was going on. Once I awakened, I was determined to create the type of life I dreamed of for my family. Our home would foster love, patience, community, creativity, individuality, fun, security, and trust. Even after leaving my marriage, I made many mistakes. I learned from every bad decision I made and started making better choices with every step I took. After leaving an abusive marriage, it takes a long time to heal. It starts with changing how you view yourself and discover who you want to become. When you are tied to an identity for so long, you find that you don't know who you are anymore, or maybe you never knew. Maybe you'll meet yourself for the first time as I did. Today I am a strong woman who knows what I want and what I don't want in my life. I know how I deserve to be treated and will accept nothing less. I will demand it. I have improved my skills at work and I'm much more punctual than I used to be. I have made myself more valuable by working hard and doing my job well and have earned myself raises and promotions. At several points in my life, I couldn't even hold a job. I have discovered my spiritual beliefs and have goals that I am working towards achieving. I am financially independent and continually working towards better credit and a better financial situation. I have an apartment in a nice town, that belongs only to me and my children. It's a small apartment but it fits us comfortably. Our home decor is adorable and perfectly matches my personality. Everyone feels great when they walk into my home, which has the serene atmosphere I have always desired. Not only have I been able to create the life I want, I met an amazing man who treats me in ways I never thought possible. Apparently, I never knew how it felt to be loved by someone until now. He has proven me wrong in my thinking that all men are the same. I never thought someone out there could naturally and happily meet my needs without even trying. Not a day goes by that he doesn't remind me that I am a beautiful, amazing woman and that he loves me with all his heart. The point here is to give you hope. You never know what life has for you unless you are open to receiving it. Take the steps I took and create the life you want. It's going to be a process but I'll help you the entire way.