For years, I carried the weight of shame—some of it mine, but most of it projected onto me by culture, being raised in the Bible belt, and expectations I never agreed to. After years of people-pleasing, I sought self-discovery and wholeness.

If reality is shaped by how we see it, then shifting our perception shifts our world. If many people shift their perception, what dramatic shifts become possible for the world?

Baring one's soul takes courage. 


I can feel the wrath and judgment parts of my story will have. I sense how the story may polarize. As an empath, or from a trauma response, I developed a keen ability to sense the needs and emotions of others, to gauge reactions. In years past, I adjusted my behavior accordingly, which I would now argue is a synonym for manipulation.