For years he told me I was worthless. For years he beat me down and made sure I hated myself. For years he told me I’d never amount to anything. That I was just a leech. His wife and mother of his 3 children was a leech.

Healing after years of abuse is one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through.

It’s like their voice becomes your inner voice. Whenever you try to do something and you’re excited, here comes their voice telling you, you can’t do it. You don’t deserve it. You’re worthless. The list of things is miles long. Even after being away from him for 2 years, I still struggle.

But here’s the thing, I know now those are all lies! I know I am more than capable of conquering anything in this life. I know I am worthy, beautiful, and strong. Even on my hardest of days, I know that I can, and I will, heal from this.

It’s not easy, by any means. Some days are easier than others. But on the days that are hard, and you feel at your weakest, you have to remember how far you’ve come.

You have to remember when you left you were just a seedling being planted, and now you’re a beautiful tree standing strong in the midst of this beautiful chaos we call life.