From Enduring to Breaking and Putting Myself Back Together

The lesson I learned…

Take it all on, and hold yourself together. Don't drop anything, and make sure you do not crumble under the weight.

One of my mother’s favorite sayings when I was growing up was, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I heard it whenever I was going through a difficult time or juggling too many things at once.

I loathed this saying. I equated it to buck up and quit whining. You're fine; hold it together and be stronger. Withstand more, carry more, and never let it break you.

I believed my worth was tied to how much I could endure.

I wanted permission not to have to handle it all. I was so afraid to drop a ball. I kept piling them up, those things that didn’t kill me and apparently were making me stronger.

Overcoming the lesson…