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.
Coach Nami (Prakash)
I stopped hiding my pain when it no longer defined me. It was when I realized it could fuel me instead. My pain became the catalyst to heal, to inspire, to create, and to grow. My book was born from that realization. Read more>>
Precious Burger
For most of my life, I hid my pain behind perfection. It was easier to keep things polished than to let the cracks show. I thought achievement could quiet the ache — that if I just worked harder, accomplished more, and smiled through the struggle, I could outrun what hurt. But pain has a way of waiting for you to stop running. Read more>>
Dotty Mayle
As someone who discovered their ADHD as an adult, I realized how my inability to focus was a detriment in my education and how it affected my relationships. Being scattered and unorganized would become a source of stress and it was hard to come out of at times. Read more>>
Zack Dionne
I don’t think I’ll ever completely stop hiding my pain. It’s part of me, something I’ve learned to live with rather than escape from. But over time, I realized I could give it purpose. I started channeling it into my films, weaving pieces of my own story into something broader, something others could see themselves in. Read more>>
Lauren McElroy
I’m not sure if hiding is the right word for what I was doing with pain. I was letting pain stop me. It was too much, if anything I was hiding FROM pain, unaware that I could transform it into power. Read more>>
LATOYA Clark
I stopped hiding my pain the day I realized it wasn’t a weakness, it was data. Every flare, every limitation, every “no” from my body was information, not shame. For years, I tried to outwork my illness and prove I could keep up with everyone else. But that constant pushing nearly cost me everything: my health, my peace, even my identity. Read more>>
Gloria Lewis
I’ll be honest—I’m still learning how to do that. I’ve spent most of my life being the strong one. The dependable one. The person who steps in, solves the problem, holds the space, carries the emotional weight, and keeps moving. People look at me and see resilience. They see control. Read more>>
Austin Arndt
I stopped hiding my pain and started using it as power when I chose recovery and committed to staying sober. For a long time, I carried my pain in silence, but through my journey of healing, I realized that my struggles, grief, and the losses I’ve faced could be turned into something meaningful. Read more>>
Brey Foster
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized God didn’t give it to me to destroy me — He gave it to me to shape me. For a long time, I tried to carry my struggles quietly, believing strength meant silence. But through prayer and faith, I began to understand that my pain had purpose. Read more>>
Amy Collette
That’s been a lifelong journey for me. I was pretty good at hiding my pain (or so I thought), but the shame and guilt of secrets kept in from childhood have a way of showing up in adult relationships. I’m grateful to have mentors, coaches, and friends who have helped me work through traumatic experiences and the ‘stories’ I made up about them. Read more>>
