We stay silent because we want to fit in.
We laugh when we don’t want to laugh.
We give approval to things we don’t actually approve of.

We pretend because we don’t want anyone to know the secrets we carry.
We don’t want anyone to know the abuse we’ve suffered.

It’s a secret that’s been killing us for years.

So we do everything we can to hold it in and protect it.
Any time it starts to come out, vulnerability strikes and we rush to shove it back where we think it belongs.
We bury it deeper than before.

But no matter how deep we bury it,
no matter how much we avoid it,
it always finds its way to the surface.

It’s wild to me how we can survive horrific events,
yet struggle to see the strength it takes to face our demons.

I spent 20 years running from mine.

I survived most of my time in the military and I did well while carrying those secrets.
What I showed on the outside looked nothing like what I was carrying on the inside.

Inside, I was still that 15-year-old boy who had been sexually abused.
I felt alone.
I felt afraid most of the time.

That was just how it was.
And I believed I had to deal with it on my own.

I had a family to take care of.
That was my most important job on this earth.

That became my focus.
That’s what kept me moving forward.

When I look back now, I honestly don’t know how I did it.

What I do know now is this:

I am strong.
And I can get through anything.

After everything I’ve already survived,
I can handle whatever comes my way.

I still have to remind myself of that sometimes.

I still feel fear.
I still feel self-doubt.

But now, I can talk myself through it.
I remember what I’ve already endured.

And sometimes, when I think about everything I’ve survived,
I find myself laughing at the challenge in front of me.

My goal is for anyone struggling with trauma today to realize this:

The strength it took for you to survive what you’ve already been through
is the same strength that will help you heal.

You are stronger than you think.
You are not broken.
And you are not starting from zero.

You already have what it takes.

The strength to heal
has been inside you all along.

Stay positive and take action!

Thank you for your support!

Resources: For resources, my programs, or to schedule a 30-minute discovery call, visit my website by clicking here.

NEW: I’ve started a private Facebook community called Survivor to Thriver Community: Healing, Support, and Growth. This community is by invite only. I want it to be a place where survivors can go to receive support from others that understand what they’re going through. If you’re interested, please send me an email at [email protected] and let me know you want to join and I’ll send you an invite.