We asked folks a question that led to many surprising answers – some sad, some thought-provoking and some funny. We’ve highlighted a cross section of those responses below.
Elizabeth Jean Olivia GAGNON
When I was a child I believed I had to shrink to be safe. I thought being different meant I was broken — that my voice was loud and awkward in rooms where quiet was rewarded. I believed success looked like fitting in, having everyone nod and agree, and that the struggles I carried were things to hide, not to share. Read More>>
Sarah Martinez-Murray
As a young girl, I was taught to be nice — to stay small, not be too outspoken, loud, or demanding. I believed that was the way to move through the world. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that kindness doesn’t mean playing small. You can be kind and still be brave, bold, and unapologetically yourself. Read More>>
Josh Baldwin
I used to believe that my work was a reflection of who I am as a person, which was detrimental to my mental health. If I didn’t have paid work, wasn’t being recognized for my accomplishments, or didn’t land a potential client, it would affect the way I viewed myself and my potential. Now, my work, although fun and sometimes challenging, is just work. Read More>>
Kimberly Fox, Knight
I grew up singing with my two older sisters in church which carried over to grad school and then college. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelors in Music(Voice). Performing was my everything!! Myself and my sisters would sing and dance, recite movies and perform for family functions through my childhood. I didn’t see anything else for myself because performing was my focus. Read More>>
Alina Chau
As a child, I carried the misconception that artistic creativity had little value in the “real world.” The image of the “starving artist” was reinforced at school, at home, and in society at large. Art was encouraged as a healthy pastime, but rarely nurtured as a viable life path. Read More>>
Jocelyn Leaf
I never really thought of myself as a creative when I was younger. Read More>>
Noah Lynch
The belief that I must appeal to every person equally and I will be a failure if I don’t appeal to everyone. I still have to fight down this lie every day as our culture pushes tribalism and conformity. Also, I grew up feeling like I had to please everyone all the time. Read More>>
Danielle Hardy
As a child a had such lofty belief in myself. I recently came across some old construction paper amongst my old childhood drawings that meticulously briefed how my life would look in my twenties: I would be a pediatrian, with two dogs and a husband, live in Hawaii, and be a pilot. I mean c’mon…that’s amazing stuff! Read More>>
Sharon Zimmerman
Back in 2018, I was tapped to teach financial projections for a women’s’ business center after having gone through their program. I have strong communication skills, tons of small business experience and decent spreadsheet skills, so I said yes. Child and teenage me would have been shocked – I thought I was bad at math. Read More>>
Denise Maple
As a child, I believed that life was happening to me, but now I understand that life happens through me. I am not a victim of my circumstances. Besides love, life’s purpose is for our soul to experience different occurrences in life and to grow through them. I now understand that I have many more choices in my life than I thought I had. Read More>>
Karin Laniado
I stopped trying to prove myself to others – now I create from the heart, trust my intuition, and focus only on bringing my dreams to life. Read More>>
Catrina Clark
Since I was not raised by my mom due to her mental health deficiencies, I spent my life in foster care and living with family members, under what is called kinship care. While living with a particular family member from the age of 5 to 18, I suffered various forms of abuse. Read More>>
