A Year Away, A Year of Growth

I have taken a hiatus from just about everything for the past year.

And let me be the first to say… this past year has been an absolute whirlwind in some of the best ways.

Sometimes stepping away can feel like disappearing, but for me this past year was about grounding myself, growing, and allowing myself to experience life in a way I had been working so hard to create.

In the past year, I have had the incredible honor of speaking at two conferences one of them even taking me all the way to Hawaiʻi. I am still beyond grateful that IVAT and OAESV trusted me with the opportunity to share my experiences, my story, and the lessons I have learned along the way. Being able to stand in those spaces and advocate for survivors is something I do for those still here, those who are not, and those who will come until we can end sexual violence.

But outside of advocacy, I also took time to focus on myself.

I started nursing school (which has been its own kind of adventure). I started a new job. I reconnected with people in my life who I had missed and gave myself permission to be present in relationships again.

And because apparently life was not chaotic enough… we got another puppy.

Because when you already have a one-year-old Malinois mix and decide adding a two-month-old Pitt mix is a great idea, you might be just a little bit crazy. But our home has been full of energy, laughter, and a whole lot of puppy chaos.

This past year reminded me that healing is not only about telling the hard parts of our stories. It is also about getting to live the parts we fought so hard to reach.

It is about growth. Connection. Joy. Building a life outside of survival.

This year, I am hopeful to step back into sharing more. To be transparent again. To continue creating conversations that remind survivors they deserve to be seen and heard.

I am hoping to bring the podcast back this month, share more about what this past year has looked like, and continue using my voice to advocate alongside other survivors.

Thank you to everyone who has stayed, checked in, supported, continued believing in this work, and most importantly believing in me.

Here is to continuing the journey with courage and purpose.