Turn Your Pain Into Power

Let’s be honest, we all have skeletons in our closet, but most of us are scared shitless to let them out.  For fear of judgement, for fear of guilt, for fear of embarrassment, for fear of putting others in a place of being called out for what they really are.  Whatever the reasons may be, those skeletons stay locked tightly away in the closet.  Continuing to eat us up on the inside, continuing to trigger us, continuing to affect our relationships with self and others, continuing to hold us back.  It is a sad but true reality for so many of us.

Turn Your Pain Into Power

The thing is, we should be using our story to free ourselves from the weight that quite often weighs us down and holds us back. We should be utilising our voice to not only help ourselves, but to also recognise that is there is a massive power in telling our story to initiate change, to literally change someone’s life, and to add value to your own life through doing so.

We all have a story. Your story is not worse than mine, nor is it better. You see, we shouldn’t be comparing stories and compartmentalising them into categories of better or worse. It is important to remember it is OUR story and it has helped to shape us into the people we are today. It has helped to shape our values, our beliefs, our morals. We are the product of our story.  Be that right or wrong, we are the product of our story.

In November 2019, I took the stage for the first time and told my story. The good, the bad, and the ugly. A story that I had locked away for so many years, because of the fear of people perceiving me for something other than what I had worked so hard to create.  Perfectionism is a word that I would use to describe the woman that I strived to be.  And I am sure, if you are reading this and you know me, then you would agree with that word too.  Other words that come to mind are strong, powerful, relentless, demanding.  My family would say I am a bossy b!+@#

Turn Your Pain Into Power

The person I am now is sooooo different to the person that stood on that stage. I am now living and breathing my true self, and on a journey to share the message far and wide.  I turned my pain into power, the power to help me heal, and the power to help others heal too!

The words that come to mind now when I describe myself are strong, powerful, caring, giving, loving, genuine, kind, generous, mindful and in touch with my emotions. 
My family would now say I am WOKE!

It is time for us to stop sweeping things under the carpet, it is time for us to stop wearing the shame, the shame that is NOT OURS TO CARRY.

Turn Your Pain Into Power

My challenge to you, is to tell YOUR STORY! Find someone that you trust to listen to you without judgement, who will hold space for you and allow you to step into your true self and embrace the freedom that telling your story will create for you. In the hope that you can relieve yourself from the burden of carrying that weight any longer, free your mind, free your body and free your soul.

When I am presenting I often refer to the term “Be the lighthouse” I live and breathe by this motto.
Throughout my life, during my darkest days, I look back and remember there always being someone that came along, in the right place, at the right time to shine their light and guide me through the darkness.  I will be forever grateful for the unconditional love and support I received from those that ‘saved me’ from the depths of despair. 
So now it is my mission to “Be the lighthouse”, to guide others through their darkness, in their time of need, and I will continue to encourage others to do the same.

Turn Your Pain Into Power

If you haven’t heard already, Siobhan Samuel and I created Real Talk NZ.  The Real Talk platform has been created to motivate, encourage and inspire others.  To show that it doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s about where you CHOOSE to go.

Our tagline is Real Talk. Real People. Real Stories.

We have had some incredible wāhine share the stage.  They turned their pain into power, to support the kaupapa of sharing with our audience – it doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s about where you CHOOSE to go.

We had our O.G Wellington Real Talk wāhine, to which I will be eternally grateful for.  It really was like a spiritual awakening that night, you could feel the wairua in the room, guiding us safely on our journey.

• Makaia Carr
• Summer Brons
• Greer Perenara
• Larissa Carlson – The Leo Style
• Elise Niu