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.
leslie benitah
The defining wound of my life has always been silence — the silence of my grandparents, all four of whom survived the Holocaust and never spoke about it. Their trauma lived in the house like a shadow: present, heavy, unspoken. I grew up feeling the weight of stories I didn’t know, histories that were mine but locked away. That kind of inherited silence shapes you. Read more>>
Ainaa Farhanah
One of the most profound challenges I’ve faced in my life has been grappling with a rare neurological disorder known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Read more>>
LaJune Singleton
The most defining wounds of your life were hitting rock bottom. Hitting rock bottom I was facing homelessness, car was repossessed, business declined, suicidal/depressed, financially broke, and lost family/friends. There were days I went without food. Even during my darkest moments, I had amazing support and strangers that showed up for me. Read more>>
Catalina Téllez
https://cdn.boldjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/c-1763584131125-personal_1763584130685_1763584130685_catalinatllez_water-bottle-earth-2.webp
One of the defining wounds of my life was losing my mom when I was nine. At an age when most children feel held and guided, I had to grow up quickly. That loss shaped me long before I understood how — it made me independent, resilient, and deeply aware of how precious connection truly is. Read more>>
Gabriel Campolla
There was a time, a lot of times, that I was made to feel as though I was responsible for maintaining other people’s happiness, satisfaction, success, and general well-being. That makes for a heavy, heavy existence. We had a saying in the house: ‘if mamma isn’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!’ which was said as a kind of joke… Read more>>
Brandy “Lade Breez” Elam
A defining wound that has altered my entire life was, when I unexpectedly fell in a hotel lobby in February 2024. I was peaking career-wise, I had just released my 4th book, I was training hundreds of people bicoastal, and I was preparing to head home to plan a book tour. Read more>>
Shanie Ecole
I would have to say the transition/death! My brother’s was rough on the family. It’s hard to believe it’s been over 20 years. I still miss him like crazy.It took time to adjust to life without him. While both my dad and Mom-mom transitioned back to back, eight months apart. I’ve struggled pretty hard with that. Read more>>
Steven Muleme
Some of the deepest wounds of my life have come from places I trusted most, loved ones, friends, and people I once opened my heart and home to. Betrayal has shaped me more than success ever has. There are stories I’ve never told publicly, not because they aren’t important, but because I learned early that not everyone wants to hold your truth with care. Read more>>
Jaye Ladymore
My brother passed away in August. It was the first death in my family that hit so close to home. I’m still healing this wound. I find that giving myself space to feel the grief when it decides to surface is healing. Using my art to explore complex feelings I’m too scared to mention helps. Read more>>
Behshid Namiranian
The defining wounds of my life was losing my dad to cancer. It opened my eyes to what truly matters in life: health, family, love, and time. His passing left a silence that taught me how precious time is and how important is to live with purpose. Healing came slowly, through reflection, gratitude, and creating something meaningful in his memory. Read more>>
Kenneth ‘KC’ Williams
Some of the deepest wounds in my life came from the quiet, unseen moments—the ones where I was doing everything I could to make others proud while silently fading in the background. Growing up with parents who were deeply rooted in ministry, I carried an internal, unspoken expectation to always be the example, the one who had it all together. Read more>>
