“I was terrified my classmates wouldn’t see my worth. So, I threw rocks, said ‘bad words,’ and acted tough. The worst, though, is that I befriended kids I knew would let me get away with treating them terribly. I took advantage of them and their effortless kindness. I never want to be the cause of pain for anyone. It’s one of the worst things in the world to feel worthless. I know because I’ve been a bully to myself as well.”
‘I used to be a bully. I was awful, and I wanted so badly to be liked.’: Woman admits to feeling ‘pang of guilt, shame’ at being childhood bully, proud of her ‘efforts to better herself’
‘Weeks before boot camp, he said, ‘What if we get married?!’ I knew the risks. The statistics were against us. But if I said no, I knew every ounce of me would regret it.’ Military spouse candidly recounts ‘navigating the chaos’ of marrying, conceiving young
“When I got pregnant, we had a fairy tale image of what our little life would look like. NO ONE tells you the effect a baby can have on your relationship with your spouse. We went from the comforts of our family homes to navigating life on our own. From regular date nights and weekend outings to sleeping in shifts. We barely spoke. Our connection and intimacy had gone numb.”
‘When the stylist asked me what I wanted, I replied ‘Cut it off! Please just cut it off before I lose my nerve.’ Without hesitation, she grabbed the scissors and began to chop.’
“I found myself staring at the reflection of a woman I hardly recognized. Her hair an unkempt mess. Eyes dark and tired. Skin dull and sullen. She looked like she had given up on herself, and in a way, she had.”
‘SAY IT RIGHT NOW – Say the nice stuff, the uplifting stuff, the encouraging stuff, the emotional stuff. Pick up the phone. Start texting. Drive to their house.’
“I was filled with so much regret afterwards that I’d waited until after he was gone. Why do we wait? Why do we have such a hard time telling people what they mean to us?”
‘He screamed horrible things at me, broke my wall mirror, cornered me and told me he’d murder my family if I left him as he shook a butcher knife in my face.’
“I realized I couldn’t remember when I last had a period. I took a pregnancy test when I got home. It was positive. I was pregnant. I was freaking out.”
‘Dear NICU Mom, I see you. This moment isn’t at all how you envisioned, but you are determined to embrace it anyway.’
“I see you carefully wash your hands before you lean over that tiny plastic crib to touch your baby’s face. I see you with a special heirloom dress and milestone blocks commemorating her first month of life.”
‘His greatest struggle is what others think of him’: Foster mom on getting her ‘trauma-triggered’ children back to school
“I watched as he spent several minutes deciding where to sit in his new classroom. We are working to help him feel confident. This kid has a heart bigger than the moon.”
‘There were two types of girls: skinny girls and fat girls. Being fat was the worst thing we could be.’: Woman loses 100 pounds after ‘the perfect storm’ in college, immerses herself in world of fitness
“After graduating, I packed my bags and headed to college. There, I found a college meal card, 24-hour Dominos delivery, and a party lifestyle. What I didn’t find? My running shoes. Lack of activity, poor food choices, and a very skinny ‘eats anything he wants’ college boyfriend created the perfect storm. I’d gone from heavy to morbidly obese.”
‘I’m the Veteran, not the Veteran’s wife’: Master Chief Petty Officer retires as senior enlisted woman in the Navy, wants others to know ‘we already are equal’
“Women don’t ask to be equal, we already are equal. Women simply want others to acknowledge that equality.”
‘My wedding photos were a huge wake up call. I was only 25, yet over 300 pounds. When I got pregnant, I knew I needed to change. My body was falling apart and I was FED UP.’
“I’d waited my entire life to be a mom, but I always felt sick, exhausted, and couldn’t even do small tasks. I was so tired of being overweight! My fitness plan was going great until I received shattering news. ‘The day you meet your son may also be the day you say goodbye.’ I went from feeling on top of the world to hearing the worst news any parent could hear.”
