For much of my life, I may have appeared strong on the outside, independent, capable, resilient. But underneath, I was silently navigating years of emotional pain, family responsibility, chronic illness, and deep spiritual searching.

My spiritual journey truly began in my late twenties, during one of the most difficult periods of my life. I was trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship and couldn’t bring myself to ask for help, not from family or from friends. Instead, I turned inward. I started reading the Bible, exploring Buddhism, and practicing meditation. That inner work gave me the strength to leave, even though it took longer than it should have. It also taught me that we have more power over our lives than we think.

Later, when my mother’s health declined and started dementia to take hold, she relied on me more often. It was an overwhelming time, caring for my children, managing a household, and fighting for the support my mum desperately needed. It was during this period that I began experiencing strange, debilitating symptoms. I was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition often triggered by trauma and emotional suppression. My body had finally begun to speak the pain I’d pushed aside for years.

Amidst the chaos and challenges, my spirituality quietly deepened. I began to experience life differently, more connected, more intuitive, more open. And, while I’ve faced more grief and loss along the way, I’ve also found peace, insight, and a sense of purpose that continues to grow.

There’s so much more to this story, my isolated childhood, the loss of my father, the manipulation and shame I felt in an early toxic relationship, and the influence of a very special woman, my mentor and dearest friend Eileen, who passed away seven years ago.

I’m now working on turning this journey into a book. It’s a story of survival, awakening, healing, and the quiet power of spirituality in real life. I hope one day it will resonate with those who’ve experienced their own struggles in silence.

For now, I just want to say: if you’re walking through something painful, invisible, or hard to explain, keep going. The path may not be easy, but it can still lead somewhere beautiful.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you like this article please take look at some of my other pages or blog posts where I talk about different therapies and my own wellbeing journey and if you’d like to see future posts then please enter your email address and click on the subscribe button below and you will be notified of future content. I have no plans to use your email address for any other purpose. Feel free to share my page with anyone you feel may be interested and if you have any feedback about what I write or suggestions for further articles then please use the comment box further down the page. Under the menu heading of Spirituality will be articles about my own spiritual journey, practices and subjects I’m interested in. They will be my own opinions, reflections and perspectives and no way disrespectful of others belief systems.

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