If you’re feeling stuck or hopeless, this is for you. Not because I have all the answers, but because I’ve been there.

My childhood was honestly the best – well in my own little way. I was a cheerful, happy and endlessly curious child. I was living my best life. Jumping on the bed between my mother and father in the evenings to listen to their old stories was so much fun.

Somewhere between the bedtime stories and real life, the magic started to fade. I held onto the pieces like puzzle parts, thinking maybe if I stayed quiet long enough, they’d fall back into place. But even silence couldn’t fix what had gone missing. Time passed, and so did my father. Missing him isn’t loud. I’ve simply learned to carry it without spilling.

Life didn’t hold back, sending difficult and unwelcome moments my way over the years. I was in survival mode, constantly reacting to everything around me. I always felt restless every day. There were days I lay curled up on the floor, crying silently while the people I once believed cared for me passed by without even a glance.