Heather shares that when things get crazy, she often has a desire to control things (don’t we all!). Like many of us, she’s worked to end those patterns of control in her life.

Part of Heather’s journey involved the inward process of moving from a victim mindset towards a courageous, empowered mindset. She dealt with a lot of anger and impulsivity as a young child, and felt she was “set apart” in a negative way. As a result, she walked around with a chip on her shoulder, carrying a burden of angst and frustration with her.

Rejection, abandonment, ridicule, and pain felt normal.

Transformation came in a variety of ways - joining the Navy, breaking free from the constraints of other people’s expectations, and having the the freedom of a new identity all helped.

They also created a new issue: striving. Heather might have been able to drop the chip, but ended up picking up the need to prove her worth to others

Eventually, she’s processed through that too. Life is always a journey, and not all of her growth as been achieved gracefully. Peeling through layers of hurt, pain, and past issues took time and effort. Being willing to face into what had been and choosing to work forward through those issues was instrumental in resolving and redeeming the past. It also required her to engage with other’s in her life, sharing her story and also learning more about their own perspectives and roles.

She identifies her ability to start TALKINg as something hugely essential in her journey. Processing through things and shedding light on them was so important, as opposed to hiding in the shadows or silencing her voice.

As emotional beings, we sometimes struggle to move from our current reality into something new or different. By choosing to live courageously, we can start to experience more freedom in our lives.

Rather than finding ways to blame others for our pain or pasts, there are ways to reenter the experience, settle what you can settle, and move on to healing and wholeness.

Remember - you’re not alone in this!

You can find Heather on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and on her website.