Almost everything is multisided – including the occurrences that give us pain. So, we asked some of the most enlightened folks in the community to share how they have harnessed their pain to help rather than hurt them.
Chris Hale
I spent most of my life searching for a release — some way to quiet the chaos inside. I tried everything that fuels the dark in a damaged soul: narcotics, fighting, anything that could drown out the noise for a moment. I left no stone unturned in my pursuit of internal peace. Read more>>
Flor C.
When I understood that I wasn’t the only one who was experiencing something so difficult. I realized that I can help not only to me but also people who was in the same vibe. I believe that recognizing and accepting a problem is the first step to healing it. Read more>>
Tammy Price
I feel like for a long time, I was conditioned to be ashamed of my pain … to keep it quiet, to move on quickly, to be ‘fine.’ I was part of the matrix, doing what I thought I was supposed to do to survive vs thrive – to stay rooted in that abandonment and rejection training ground. Read more>>
Laura McElyea
Shame, guilt and fear are three things that have really held me back as an entrepreneur. What I realized is, social media is fake and people actually relate to me! I was ashamed of being a solo mom of autistic twins, blaming myself for being a single mom while also having guilt about them have Autism. Read more>>
Lindsay Carter
I think I truly stopped hiding my pain and started using it as power when I faced the challenges of my childhood and early career. I was often called “fat” as a child, and for the longest time, I never thought I could be a model or have any kind of platform where people would look up to me. Read more>>
La’Dreamer Lark
I stopped hiding my pain and started using it as power after I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2017 and suffered a stroke in 2018. Those moments completely changed my life. At first, I was scared and felt defeated — I didn’t understand why this was happening to me. Read more>>
Julie Prashad-Ramirez
For a long time, I hid my anxiety and depression behind my accomplishments because I was embarrassed. I thought being strong meant staying silent — that leaders weren’t supposed to struggle. But the truth is, even powerful women fight invisible battles. The difference is what we do with them. I’ve learned that healing begins when we stop hiding and start sharing. Read more>>
Chaimae Bouzagaoui
Who says I stopped hiding my pain? I never did. I’ve actually openly written about it in my book, Cherry Blossom Season, and that’s exactly why I was able to turn my pain into power. You don’t conquer pain by hiding it; you conquer it by taking away its significance. In my case I did that through writing poetry. Read more>>
Tyeshia P.
I can’t pinpoint an exact moment, but starting my brand was the catalyst. When I began sharing my thoughts and artwork, I realized I could step outside of myself and look at my hardships through a different lens. Read more>>
Donna Sherrie
I stopped hiding my pain and using it as power when I wrote my memoir called Untarnished in 2021. I used my story to make an impact and inspire others who may have gone down a similar path as me with shared experiences. Although 4 years has passed since I first wrote the book, it is still inspiring and changing lives. Read more>>
Secret Brown
I truly believe that every struggle that I have overcame was to make me the speaker, teacher and coach I am today. I learned to USE it, (Utilize Struggle to Empower). I learned that my life lessons were not just a culmination of dumb mistakes, misfortune and black clouds, but they could be used to empower others. Read more>>
Rhonda Hight
I was asked to speak to a group of people that were participating in a program hosted by the Urban League. These individuals were in the process of rebuilding their lives after various hardships. My topic was job readiness. I was in the middle of my presentation, when an older gentleman in the group, asked me to tell them about myself. Read more>>
