Stronger Than Before

How I Overcame the Hardest Chapter of My Life

If you’ve read my last two posts, you already know—I’ve been through some stuff. The kind of stuff that knocks you down, shakes up everything you thought you knew, and leaves you wondering how you’ll ever piece yourself back together again.

But here I am. Stronger. Wiser. And somehow, even after all of it, still me.

Overcoming these challenges wasn’t about some magical aha moment where everything suddenly made sense. It was messy. It was slow. And sometim it was painful. And honestly? It’s still a work in progress. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that healing doesn’t happen in a straight line—it happens in waves. Some days, I felt like I was moving forward. Other days, I felt like I was drowning.

But little by little, I found my way back. And here is how I did it.

Step One: Allowing Myself to Feel Everything

At first, I did what so many of us do: I tried to minimize my pain. It wasn’t that bad. Other people go through worse. I should just be grateful. But grief, heartbreak, and emotional recovery don’t work like that. The more I tried to push my feelings aside, the heavier they became.

So, I stopped running from them. I let myself feel everything. The sadness, the anger, the confusion, the what ifs. I cried, sometimes for no reason, sometimes for every reason. I sat in the discomfort instead of trying to escape it. And as painful as that was, it was the first real step toward healing.

One of the things that helped the most? Journaling.

Writing it all down—every thought, every feeling, every question I didn’t have answers to—gave me a place to unload everything that was weighing me down. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was honest. And somehow, getting those thoughts out of my head and onto paper made them feel lighter.

Step Two: Leaning on the People Who Truly Love Me

For the longest time, I tried to carry everything on my own. I didn’t want to burden anyone, didn’t want to admit how much I was struggling. But the truth is, healing doesn’t happen in isolation.

Adriano was by my side through all of it, reminding me—sometimes with words, sometimes just by holding my hand—that I wasn’t alone. And when I finally opened up about my experience, something incredible happened. People reached back. Friends, family, even people I hadn’t spoken to in years reminded me that love and support were always there, I just had to let it in.

It made me realize that when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we give others permission to do the same. And that kind of connection? That’s what keeps us going.

Step Three: Taking My Power Back Through Daily Routines

And this is the biggest one. For a long time, I felt like life was just happening to me. Like I had no control over anything, and I was just a passenger. But slowly, I started reclaiming my power.

And one of the biggest ways I did that? Building a morning routine.

It sounds simple, but starting my day with intention changed everything. Instead of waking up and immediately drowning in my thoughts, I built small habits that helped me feel in control again. 

• Journaling: A few minutes of writing down my thoughts, my feelings, and my intentions for the day.

• Reading: Feeding my mind with something inspiring instead of scrolling through social media first thing in the morning.

• Movement: Whether it was stretching, walking, or working out, getting my body moving helped more than I ever expected.

• Mantras & Gratitude: Shifting my focus to what I did have, rather than what I had lost.

And let me just say this—waking up and immediately scrolling your phone is the worst way to start your day. I used to do it, and all it did was make me anxious, unmotivated, and distracted before my feet even hit the floor. Instead of being intentional with my morning, I was letting the world, social media, and other people’s lives dictate how I started my day. Cutting that habit was a game-changer.

In fact, I believe so much in the power of a good morning routine that I even wrote a mini ebook about it! If you’re interested in learning how to create a routine that sets you up for success, you can find it here.

At first, all of this felt forced. But over time, these small habits started to rewire the way I thought. I wasn’t waking up stuck in sadness—I was waking up with a plan. With structure. With something that gave me momentum. And that, little by little, gave me my power back.

Step Four: Sharing My Story

The final piece of my healing? Talking about it.

Writing my story was terrifying. Hitting publish on those blog posts felt like exposing the deepest, most vulnerable parts of me. But then something amazing happened. You reached back. You sent messages, shared your own experiences, reminded me that I wasn’t alone.

And in that moment, I realized something powerful: We heal by helping each other heal.

I may never fully “move on” from what I went through. But I don’t think that’s the goal anymore. The goal is to move forward. To take every lesson, every challenge, every heartbreak, and use it to build something even stronger.

Final Thoughts: If You’re Going Through It Right Now…

If you’re in the middle of your own storm, if you’re feeling lost, broken, or just exhausted from fighting, please hear me when I say this: You are stronger than you think. Healing takes time. It’s not linear. Some days, you’ll feel like you’re back at square one. But you’re not. Every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress.

And most importantly: you don’t have to go through it alone.

I’m here. And so are so many others who are ready to remind you that you are worthy of love, happiness, and healing.

You will get through this. And when you do, you’ll realize something incredible: you’re stronger than before. 🤍