Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we carry—and the ways we learn to move through it—can define who we become. We asked community members from a broad array of industries to reflect on their defining wounds and have shared the responses below.
Shawn Bradford
I had a difficult relationship with my father growing up and that translated into my romantic relationships being difficult and dysfunctional as an adult. Luckily I was aware that I need to work on this and spent a good decade plus in different types of therapies from talk therapy to energy healings and solo dating sessions. Read More>>
Christina DiArcangelo
The defining wound of my life was being a victim of domestic abuse while going through a divorce and fighting for custody. It was one of the darkest and most painful chapters I’ve ever faced — being torn down emotionally, mentally, and spiritually while trying to protect my child and rebuild my life. Read More>>
Tiffany Hines
The defining wound of my life has been unforgiveness. For years, I didn’t even realize how deep it had settled within me. I thought I had moved on. I thought I had healed. But the truth about unforgiveness is—it’s tricky. It hides itself well. It can sit quietly inside you, disguised as strength, independence, or indifference, when really it’s pain you’ve learned to live with. Read More>>
arthaya nootecharas
When I moved to the US for school, it was such a culture shock for me. I didn’t speak any English, I didn’t understand much at all. I felt like as much as it was a move for a better education for me, that has to be one of the darkest times I went through. Read More>>
Alexis Mason
One of the defining wounds of my life has been my father’s abandonment and absence for most of my childhood. His absence created deep confusion, relationship trauma, and struggles with self-esteem and trust that shaped the way I viewed myself, men, and even those closest to me. These wounds ran so deep that, for many years, they controlled much of my life. Read More>>
Mari Hashimoto
Playing small. There was this belief of “Don’t stand out too much.” – somehow it was all related to the fear of being rejected (and even a fear of being bullied, as that was part of my childhood.) I made great strides in this area, but it is still a work in progress. I’m quite shy of putting myself out there. Read More>>
Robert Banghart
The last day of my addiction and homelessness I was attacked by 3 men with an axe, a pipe and a knife. They killed me and left me for dead on the train tracks. Thankfully, someone saw it happen and called the emergency services, who were able to revive me. Read More>>
Robert Bradley
Years ago I was diagnosed with an injury that required surgery, not long after that pretty painful recovery, a new one developed. Around that time I lost a number of close friends, dealing with chronic pain, visiting them in hospice or coping with them passing was compounded by a pretty painful breakup that happened right as the several others passed. Read More>>
Rhonda OnThe Rhocks
One of the defining wounds of my life was surviving an abusive relationship with someone I never imagined could harm me. That experience shook my sense of safety, trust, and even my identity. But it also became the catalyst for my deepest healing. I began to reclaim my power by speaking out — first privately to friends and mentors, and eventually publicly through my podcast. Read More>>
Brian Orlando
I lost my best friend when I was 18, two days after high school graduation. Up until that point, any pain that I had experienced revolved around me personally. That was the first time that I experienced loss that affected others even to a greater degree than I was experiencing at the time. Read More>>
Clementine Bastos
Hair loss. I lost around 70% of my hair, and with it went parts of my identity I didn’t know were tied to it — femininity, ease, the simple act of walking into a room without bracing. The hardest part wasn’t the mirror; it was the quiet shame, the cancelled plans, the feeling of being “less than”. Healing didn’t come from pretending it hadn’t happened. Read More>>
Jane Dye
The most recent defining wound stems from the death of my middle son, Christopher, a little over two years ago. My healing is ongoing however, it is my personal and professional commitments to health and wellness exploration and their proven practices that assists me in finding meaning after such devastating loss. Read More>>
Tami Matheny
Losing my grandmother was the most difficult would I have ever faced. I don’t know if that wound will ever be completely healed but I frequently use her as my angel and wanting to make her proud. So I’ve tried to turn it into a positive. Read More>>
