“By just being you; you make a profound difference. Don’t ever forget that you matter.” Do you believe that you matter, did you know that your existence here on earth matters?  As we all embark upon our own individual journey, we share a lot more in common than we do differences. The problem is many of us will miss the opportunity to connect on our journey’s due to pride. Being prideful robs us of the opportunity to be vulnerable and transparent to make connections that are in place to add value to our lives. There are so many people battling with themselves internally, they are fighting with the conflicts of their past and confused with who they are today.  The age that we first experience trauma or hurt is where we will operate from through life If we are unable to get complete with what was. The result of being stuck in an experience is to operate through fear or pride. Creating an escape to hide their hurt and how they feel about themselves, which makes it very difficult to let down their guard.  Do you believe that you are responsible for the unexpected experiences in your life, or are you responsible for how you respond to what was?

The experiences that are out of our control are not our responsibility, how we go about healing and growing after, to live life with meaning and purpose is our responsibility. Our past traumas, our present circumstances, and the choices we make today is our responsibility.  I was a victim of molestation at the age of nine and for years there were habits that I took on that were my cope mechanisms. I was very afraid of the dark because I would see the figure of him clearly as if it was still happening. I struggled with sleeping straight through the night which resulted to the need of having a night light on or the television playing. I walked around with an intense feeling of hate for men with dread locks for years until I was nineteen years old. I shared my story for the first time in a room full of people and for the first time I felt free from my abuse. Ten years I continued to relive an experience that was no longer happening, but I kept it alive through my habits, my thoughts, and the way I operated daily. I chose to let go of the feeling of guilt I was no longer ashamed of what happened, I no longer took responsibility for the act of someone else. The most important part that helped my breakthrough was when I finally stopped blaming my father for what I experienced because he was not present. I began to share my story more whenever it was necessary because I believed that my story would help others to heal and by helping others, I was able to let go. I am not my past, I am not the pain I have experienced, I am not the thoughts I created in mind, I am a woman created to make a difference in the lives of many. Through my experiences I was strengthened to with courage to step into my purpose and mission in life.

In conclusion I want to remind every one of us that everything that we experience in our lives is no surprise to God. Meaning that God already has a plan for us and promises to love and protect us always, our responsibility is to be present through our journey. Losing the need to hide behind a character or an image that we feel defines us in a better light than who we are created to be. Our blessings can only be received when we appreciate where we have been, who we are, where we are, and where God is taking us. To live in complete gratitude is to be grateful for it all including the experiences that caused us hurt and sadness. You matter and you will always matter, trust the process appreciate the lessons, and understand that we were created to live in purpose. The very thing that you think was created to break you or made you feel less than great now is the time to reclaim your power and set yourself free. The past was an experience you can no longer relive or allow to be in control of who you are being and what you have to offer. You matter because you made it through the storms, you continue to grow through your trials, and most importantly staying true to who you are. We are not what we have been through we are who we choose to be.