I remember sitting across from my therapist about 10 or so years ago. I was there because a good friend of mine recognized what I was going through and told me in so many words I was headed for a breakdown if I didn’t do something. I was still unsure if I had made the right decision or not by coming. I looked at the clock on the wall with the time ticking by and thought of all the other things I could be doing. I’d been in an abusive relationship for several years and felt there was nothing really left of me. All I had was my children and my career. I didn’t see a way out at the time. As I talked to my therapist and told her all of the terrible things that had been said and done to me over the years, she nodded her head slowly and took notes. I would have given just about anything to know what was on that piece of paper. All I could imagine was her drawing a caricature of me as a woman running in circles screaming or in a straight jacket sitting in a padded room. After she’d listened to me for some time, she closed her notebook, looked at me and said “Just because someone says it doesn’t make it true.” That was an absolute revelation and turning point for me. All these years I’d absorbed the terrible treatment for so long that I’d started to believe every word of it! From that point on I made gradual steps towards my independence and I broke free. I know there are still women right now in this cycle of abuse and I’m here to tell you that you determine your worth. Those few words spoken to me made an enormous impact on my life. Take the steps to love and honor yourself daily. Seek professional help if necessary. You deserve all of the good things the Universe has set aside for you. It’s up to you to make it happen.
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