My emotional healing journey through letting go, rediscovering myself, and starting over
30 days of showing up for myself no matter what.
There are stories we tell the world… and then there are the untold chapters. This is one of mine
🌧️ When April Felt Heavy: My Emotional Healing Journey
Good afternoon, my beautiful readers.
Where do I even start?
April… if I’m being real with y’all… it was heavy.
Not just a little overwhelming… but the kind of heavy that sits on your chest. The kind that makes you question everything. The kind that makes you go quiet even when you have so much to say.
For three days, I couldn’t even write.
And if you know me, you know that’s not like me.
Because I had thoughts.
I had emotions.
I had stories.
But I didn’t have the energy.
đź’” Losing Myself While Showing Up for Everyone Else
A truth I had to face in my emotional healing journey
I’ve spent most of my life being there for everybody else.
Being the middle child…
Helping family…
Showing up for friends…
Providing for my kids as a single mom at one point…
I was always giving.
But somewhere in the middle of all that… I lost me.
And it didn’t happen all at once.
It happened slowly.
I stopped asking myself what I like.
I stopped doing things that brought me joy.
I stopped checking in with my own heart.
Until one day…
I didn’t even recognize myself anymore.
🛋️ Going Back to Therapy: Choosing Healing Again
Why therapy is part of my emotional healing journey
So I made a decision.
I went back to therapy.
Not just for my marriage.
Not just for my kids.
But for me.
Sitting in that chair again… starting from the beginning… opening up about things I thought I already dealt with…
It wasn’t easy.
But it was necessary.
Because healing isn’t something you do once.
It’s something you choose over and over again.
🌧️ When Silence Speaks: The Parts I Don’t Always Say Out Loud
There were nights in April where I didn’t say nothing at all.
Not because I didn’t have anything to say…
But because I didn’t have the strength to explain it.
You ever sit there and feel everything at once?
The overthinking.
The pressure.
The memories.
The feeling of being tired… but not just physically—mentally and emotionally tired.
That was me.
And the crazy part is… I was still showing up.
Still being a wife.
Still being a mom.
Still trying to smile through it.
But deep down?
I needed a moment for me.
Not to run away.
Not to give up.
But to pause.
🧠Learning to Listen to Myself Again
A deeper part of my emotional healing journey
One thing therapy is teaching me is this:
I’ve been listening to everybody else for so long…
That I forgot how to listen to myself.
What do I feel?
What do I need?
What do I enjoy?
And when I asked myself those questions…
I didn’t have clear answers.
That hit me hard.
But instead of judging myself for it…
I’m giving myself grace.
Because I’m learning now.
And that still counts.
🚪 Setting Boundaries Without Guilt
Letting go of what was draining me
Letting people go… creating distance… choosing peace over pressure…
That wasn’t easy.
Because I’m the type of person who checks on everybody.
But I had to learn something:
Everybody doesn’t check on you the same way you check on them.
And that truth?
It hurt.
But it also freed me.
Because now I understand…
Protecting my peace is not selfish.
It’s necessary.
🌱 A New Beginning at the Community Center
Stepping outside changed my emotional healing journey
God placed someone in my life Ms. Simmons.
And through her, I found something I didn’t even realize I needed…
The community center.
Y’all…
When I walked in there, something shifted.
I explored the library (yes, your girl is a bookworm đź“š).
I worked out.
I saw people laughing, connecting, living.
And for the first time in a long time…
I felt alive again.
đź“– Rediscovering What I Love
Finding joy again in my emotional healing journey
I realized something…
I love reading.
I love meeting new people.
I love being in new environments.
And deep down…
I still love dancing.
When I saw those women dancing—around my age, free and full of joy…
Something in me said:
“I want that.”
And this time… I’m not waiting.
🎸 Trying Again, Even at 36
Growth doesn’t have an age limit
I picked up a guitar.
Something I always wanted as a kid… but never got the chance to do.
And here I am now… learning.
Starting over.
Trying again.
And you know what?
That’s okay.
Because it’s never too late to become who you were always meant to be.
🌿 Storytime: Sitting in the Rain, Finding Peace
Yesterday, me and my husband went outside after the community center.
It was cold.
It was raining a little.
But we sat under this big rock… just quiet… just present.
And in that moment, I said to myself:
“Girl… you’ve been through so much… and you’re still here.”
Not perfect.
Not fully healed.
But still standing.
And that meant everything.
🙏 Letting Go and Giving It to God
One thing I’ve learned…
You can’t carry everything.
So I let go.
Of stress.
Of anxiety.
Of people who weren’t there for me.
And I gave it to God.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7
👉 https://www.biblegateway.com/
Because at the end of the day…
God always shows up.
đź’ My May Reset: Choosing Me Again
This is my reset.
My “finding me” season.
Here’s what I’m committing to:
âś” 30 days of guitar practice
âś” Going to the community center twice a week
âś” Weekly therapy
✔ Reading consistently (I’m on book #2!)
✔ Studying for my driver’s license 🚗
✔ Planting seeds literally and spiritually 🌱
âś” Getting back to nature, biking, and peace
Because I’m done just surviving.
I’m ready to live.
đź’¬ Motivational Quote
“Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find the version of you God was building all along.”
🤍 A Moment of Reflection
God, thank You for carrying me through the heavy moments I didn’t think I would survive.
Thank You for reminding me who I am, even when I forget.
Help me to keep going, to keep growing, and to trust You in every step of this emotional healing journey.
Amen.
âť“ Question for You
What is one thing you’ve been putting off that could help you find yourself again?
đź”— Stay Connected
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đź“– Read more:
https://theuntoldchapter.blog/2026/04/10/letting-go-of-what-was-slowing-me-down/
https://theuntoldchapter.blog/2026/04/09/grateful-for-the-growth-that-once-hurt-me/
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https://theuntoldchapter.blog/newsletter/
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-stearns-58aa9a249/
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My story isn’t perfect, but it’s real and I’m still standing, still growing, and still becoming.
One Last Thought Before You Go
Life is full of chapters we don’t always understand while we’re living them. But I’m learning that sometimes the most powerful stories come from the moments we thought would break us.
And if there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s this: every season of life has a lesson waiting inside of it.
So here’s something I want you to think about today:
What is one moment in your life that changed the way you see yourself?
I would love to hear your story in the comments. Your experience might be the encouragement someone else needs today.
And if this message spoke to you, make sure you come back tomorrow… because I’ll be sharing another chapter of “The Untold Truth.”
Until next time, đź’š
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