This journey of ‘coming out’ has had so many twists and turns, I’ve lost many friendships who didn’t agree with my openness on this subject but at the same time, I’ve gained some incredible new friends who are supportive & caring unconditionally. I knew speaking out wasn’t going to be easy, I knew it was what I should do, I knew I need to do it , but, I was petrified. How could I be so terrified of letting others know that there is life after trauma?
What would everyone think of me? That was one of the questions that plagued my mind…
I have been living in fear for most of my life, I didn’t realise I was living in fear, I was too busy wearing a mask and pretending that I was ok….. but what does ok really mean?
I ask that question because that’s the question I have been asked time and time again…since I can remember. My answer remained the same for thirty-seven years …it was a lie that was killing me, strangling the life out of me inside.
5 years ago I made the decision to take off the mask and that day was the beginning of my true recovery.
To be honest the road to recovery takes a lot of energy and requires hard work, perseverance, forgiveness, determination, having a thick skin & self-belief. It’s not easy, there are constant challenges but it is achievable ….
With a good support system/network, a lot of self care and learning to take one step at a time, remaining in my present, NLP therapy, renewing my mind daily & trusting my faith in God, I was able to face the secrets, self hate, the shame & separation of my past to start creating and living a breathtaking life.
Speaking out and telling my truth is another part of the process of MY healing and restoration. I believe that unless we really start talking about the issues of abuse, exposing those who have perpetrated and challenging the judicial system it will continue in this vicious cycle.
Time is Up!
We cannot change the past but we can leave it behind, walk forward and embrace a breathtaking future with our heads held high. It’s time to live in the truth. Face the demons that have haunted our minds for so long; Conquer every fear, activate our power to live in the NOW.
We all have a responsibility to tell our stories, by doing so we empower others to tell their own stories and regain their life back too.
Together we are the Voice of Freedom, together our voices become the echo that brings down the walls of silence, shame, and separation. Together we are strong, together we are powerful, together we will become the voice that will rebuild, restructure and redefine the judicial system once and for all!
There is HOPE … let us rise together!
Read part of my story in this week’s issue of The Voice Newspaper
By: Marcia Dixon
Photography by: Joy Jobi
Support Network: Transformation Power House (Gee Abiah Patchett)
Reconnected Life (Emily Jacob)
To Purchase: To Report or Not yo Report Survivors Testimony of the (In) Justice System.
Click below to go to the dedicated website.
Royalties to the charities chosen by the survivor-authors.
To Report or Not To Report: Survivor Testimony of the (In)Justice System sheds light on the real-life experiences of rape survivors in their decision to report, or not to report, what happened to them.
Only a minority of rape survivors report the crime. Why is this?
Only a small proportion of those reported rapes are prosecuted. What’s it like to live through that betrayal of the justice process?
Only a tiny minority of rape prosecutions end in a conviction. How does that feel to a survivor?
With chapters written by survivors who joined the ReConnected Life Community, this book shines a light on the Justice System from those who are rarely heard: the victim. This is the perspective that is silenced by that system because the System isn’t personal: this is personal.
The final section includes perspectives from professionals supporting survivors in and around the Justice System. With perspectives from Jessica Eaton, Rhiannon Evans, Dr Sarah Heke, Annie Rose and Lynne Tooze, Lucy Allwright and Jennifer Holly, and Dr. Nina Burrowes, they highlight some of the critical issues and share some thoughts for how to solve them.
Women Talk is an inspirational and motivational book compiled of stories written by local Luton women, launched at the Women Talk Talent Summit Conference celebrating International Women’s Day at the end of March.
The purpose of the book is to promote and raise the profile of women in Luton and to share their amazing, survival, inspirational and motivational stories, informing, and empowering other women in Luton to grow in confidence, whether they are in work, education or business, we want women to succeed and go for their dreams!
Have you ever been in a situation where YOU are the only thing standing in your way of receiving the breakthrough you know you deserve?
Have you ever procrastinated over something that you knew you needed to do, something that could essentially change your life for the better, even forever?
Of course, you have! We all do at some stage …
Well, that was me less than 24 hours ago; things in life are changing rapidly and moving so quickly … You better keep up!! I’m ready to go to the next level in my life but my little old ‘frienemy’ FEAR stood up in my chest and tried to hold me back! I can tell you, the sweat that poured from my head😰👩🏾 could have filled a bucket, my heart was pounding so hard through my chest I thought it was going to burst through, all I had to do was make a decision and answer a simple question of YES or No!
So do you know what I did … I said YES!
When you focus on and say YES to your own aspirations and dreams, it opens you up to the core of life itself.
Saying YES pushes you past fear, doubt and sometimes shame, and reconnects you with the goddess within.
When you say YES you are giving yourself permission to acknowledge, accept and align with your higher calling & purpose and that same YES will allow you to share your gifts and passion with the world!
Let your YES Be Bold – Let your YES be Fearless – Let your YES be Authentic – Let you’re YES be YOU!!!
5 years ago I made the decision to take off the mask and that day was the beginning of my true recovery.
