It's time to tell our stories.

Growing up, storytelling is one way we come to understand who we are relative to the world. When we’re forced to exclude parts of ourselves from these stories (e.g. our queerness), we learn that who we are must be monitored or hidden, lest we be rejected.

What stories were you allowed to tell? Which ones weren’t permitted? What parts did you leave out for fear of being seen as an outsider?  

In adulthood, we have the opportunity to revisit these stories, editing our whole selves back in. This week, I turned in the final draft of my book—a book full of stories that I’ve never felt were safe to tell, until now. By telling old stories with new language, I allowed once-filtered parts of my younger self to step into the light.  

What younger parts of you deserve to be seen? What might it feel like to revisit old narratives with the language you have now? Click here to download a fillable workbook that helps you retell your own story as a tool for healing.