Is This Just Another Box?

On silence, privacy, and speaking out

This week marks three months since I started Princess and the Pea, Survivor Edition, which means it’s been three months since I began sharing my story and breaking my silence.

The question I have today, though, is this: How do I not be defined by what happened to me while still sharing what I’ve learned?

I started this publication, in part, to reduce stigma and release myself from my silence, but I question if writing about trauma recovery is all I want to write about or all want to be known for. On one hand, I no longer want to feel like I have to hide parts of myself; on the other, I don’t want my life defined by any one thing.

Write what you know, they say. Find your niche. Don’t confuse people with too much variety. And yet… I want to be free.

Writing here has helped me leave my little box of shame. But by writing about these topics, am I putting myself into another box?

The cost of silence

Before, I was alone, with few people knowing about my trauma, keeping it a secret because I feare…