Fr. Joseph Nassal says, “Behind every scar there is a story.” We all have our stories. We all have scars and we all have choice in what to do with them. As Brene Brown says, “You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”

Our stories are often full of shame and shame breeds more shame, which keeps us stuck in destructive patterns. It keeps us isolated and alone and quiet. We hide and numb when we feel shame. But “shame can not survive being spoken” Brene says.

We need to be aware of our shame triggers. We experience shame more often than we might imagine. Shame can come from big traumatic events in our lives, like that of rape or addiction. But it can also show up in the small seemingly insignificant ones. For example, when my husband comes home at night and begins cleaning up the kitchen, shame whispers, “you’ve been here all day while he was working at the office and now he has to clean up the kitchen…what’s wrong with you?”

Becoming aware of shame is a practice. I am daily invited to step into my story, my hurts, my fears… and let go of the hustle. Let go of trying to do it all perfectly, be who I think everyone else wants or needs me to be, and own all of who I am and all of the story that makes me… me.

My guests this week is doing just that. 27 year old, Alexis Taylor is learning to step inside her story after spending years buried beneath it. She bravely embraces what she calls being “Beautifully Broken.”

Alexis shares her story of grief and loss, rape, abuse, toxic relationships, betrayal, unplanned pregnancies, contemplating abortion, single parenting, and adoption. She is learning to find the beauty in all of it and it is quite inspiring.

So, grab a box of Kleenex for this one and headphones if “littles” are near and please share your compassionate thoughts and encouragement with Alexis in the comments below.

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DEEPER DOWN THE WELL