Meet Brandilyn Hallcroft

 

We were lucky to catch up with Brandilyn Hallcroft recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandilyn, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience stems from a decision I made a long time ago to persevere, no matter what life threw my way. I didn’t grow up with stability or emotional safety. I experienced trauma, rejection, and loss early on. But through it all, I never stopped working toward something better.
Even in my darkest moments, I found ways to move forward. When I was homeless for three months, I still showed up to meetings and built websites for clients. I created a business from nothing, using public libraries to charge my laptop and connect with professionals who had no idea what I was going through behind the scenes. I turned a freelance graphic design hustle into the thriving company Metro-Designs in 2006 and later launched Metro-Events in 2011, which became a top 1% Etsy shop. I put myself through college and taught myself marketing, design, psychology, and business development because I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for someone to save me.
Resilience is not something you are born with. It is something you build when life keeps testing you and you refuse to let it define you. For me, healing was not just a personal matter. It became professional. I transformed my healing journey into Journals to Healing, a brand founded on the real tools I developed through years of deep self-work. I did not just study transformation. I lived it. And I turned that experience into something that helps others change their lives too.
No matter how many setbacks I faced, I never stopped learning, building, creating, and growing. That is where my resilience comes from. It is not just about surviving. It is about rising, again and again, with purpose.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m the founder of Journals to Healing, Metro-Designs, and Metro-Events. Each brand came from a different chapter of my life, but all are rooted in the same purpose: to create tools, designs, and experiences that help people grow, reflect, and connect.
Journals to Healing was born from years of personal growth, research, and self-reflection. I created guided journals that focus on real emotional work such as grief, self-esteem, anxiety, forgiveness, and awareness. These tools come from my own journey of rebuilding after trauma and learning how to regulate my emotions, break patterns, and reconnect with myself. What makes them special is that they were created by someone who lived it. These are not theories or trends. They are hard-earned tools I used when I had to figure out healing on my own.
In addition to the journals, I just released my first book titled Unshakeable: Mastering Yourself in a Messy World. It is a raw and honest guide for people who are tired of absorbing other people’s chaos and want to reclaim their peace. The book combines personal storytelling with practical tools, providing readers with real ways to develop emotional strength, establish boundaries, and overcome people-pleasing tendencies. It has already started to resonate with people who have felt overwhelmed, stuck, or misunderstood for far too long.
Alongside that, I run Metro-Designs, a creative agency that helps brands express their identity through intentional, strategic design. With decades of experience in marketing, visual communication, and psychology, I help businesses create branding that reflects their values and speaks directly to the target audience they aim to reach. I work with purpose-driven companies, including those in the wellness, nonprofit, education, and community-based sectors.
Metro-Events is a digital and printed party design business offering custom event materials for all types of celebrations. It began during a pivotal moment in my life and evolved into a reliable source of income and a creative outlet that brought joy to customers worldwide.
Right now, I am focused on expanding Journals to Healing by building an online community through social media. I want to create a space where people can engage in honest conversations, feel seen and supported, and access tools that guide their healing process. My goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for individuals undertaking the challenging work of growth and self-discovery, particularly those who may not have access to traditional support systems.
Everything I have built was created from scratch. I worked through chaos, grief, loss, and rebuilding, and I never stopped moving forward. Whether I am designing a logo, writing a journal prompt, or publishing a book, I bring intention, experience, and deep care into the work. My goal is to help people understand themselves better and create lives that feel true to who they really are.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities that changed the course of my life were self-awareness, integrity, and unapologetic honesty.
Self-awareness taught me who I really am underneath the noise of trauma, expectations, and survival mode. It gave me the power to stop absorbing other people’s projections and start making decisions that aligned with my true self. To build self-awareness, I journaled relentlessly. I questioned my beliefs, observed my reactions, and took responsibility for how I showed up in every moment. If you’re early in your journey, start by creating space for reflection. Write things down. Pay attention to your patterns. Observe your thoughts without judgment. Self-awareness is not about being perfect. It’s about being present with who you are and who you are becoming.
Integrity has been my anchor. There were so many times I could have taken shortcuts, chosen money over peace, or stayed quiet to keep others comfortable. But I’ve learned that nothing is worth losing yourself over. Money will come and go. Reputation will be shaped by other people’s opinions. What lasts is your character. Make choices you can live with. When you lay your head down at night, you should feel peace with how you moved through the day. To strengthen integrity, ask yourself in every decision, “Does this align with who I say I am?” And be willing to walk away from anything that doesn’t.
Unapologetic honesty is a strength that takes time to develop, especially in a world where people often value comfort over truth. Being honest with others starts with being honest with yourself. There were times when my honesty made people uncomfortable, but I had to learn that their discomfort wasn’t mine to manage. Criticism will come. People may not appreciate it. But honesty protects your peace and keeps you grounded in your values. If you want to develop this, start by saying the hard things out loud to yourself. Speak to them in your journal. Say them in the mirror. Then practice communicating them to others with calm, clarity, and respect. You will lose people along the way, but you will find yourself.
My advice to anyone just starting out is this: do not worry about what others think of you. Step into every moment to rise. People may not understand you, especially if you are doing something different or breaking generational cycles. Get comfortable being misunderstood. Know your personal identity and stay true to it at all times. That is what makes you unshakeable.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’m always open to collaborating with people who are living with purpose and using their voice, platform, or creativity to make a meaningful impact. Whether you’re a coach, writer, therapist, healer, artist, or entrepreneur, if your work is rooted in authenticity, emotional growth, or collective healing, I’d love to connect.
If you host a podcast or run a blog and you’re looking for a guest who can speak candidly about healing, self-awareness, emotional resilience, or the creative process behind building a mission-driven brand, reach out to me. I’m also available for guest writing, brand partnerships, workshops, and speaking opportunities that align with my message.
I believe in the power of aligned collaboration. When people come together with shared values and a commitment to something bigger than themselves, real change happens.
You can connect with me through my website at journalstohealing.com or Metro-Designs.com. I am the only person checking the emails. I will receive them. Let’s create something impactful together.

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