by Lisa Abramson
“When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write a brave new ending.” – Brene Brown
These wise words are so true, but it requires a lot of courage to be vulnerable and share your story. I remember feeling so nervous before getting up on stage to share my story of surviving postpartum depression and psychosis at TEDx. And I was equally nervous the first time I shared an article about my experience with my Facebook friends. I’m sharing this so you know it’s completely normal and natural to feel nervous when you’re putting yourself out there. But don’t let this fear stop you from sharing your story — the healing that has come from sharing my story and being able to help others has far outweighed the temporary discomfort of vulnerability.
Before I took the stage at TEDx, I told myself that if sharing my story would help one new mom suffering from a maternal mental health disorder feel less alone then it would be worth it. I created a small, but meaningful, goal of making an impact with my words. Focusing on “my why” allowed me to be brave and inspired me to keep finding ways to do more.
As I’ve taken a more active role as a maternal mental health advocate, and have shared the stage with Brooke Shields, and appeared in stories like NPR’s She Wanted To Be The Perfect Mom, Then Landed In A Psychiatric Unit, I’ve found it grounding to keep focusing on “my why” anytime I need an extra dose of courage.
I think about all the moms that will feel less alone after hearing what I went through. I think about the lives that could be saved. The relief that moms will get when they start feeling like themselves again. This always give me the courage I need to keep being brave. I hope it gives you the courage to be open about your struggles too. And see and appreciate the resilience you’ve developed along the way. You are so much stronger than you realize.
Share Your Story with Cherished Mom
To share your story with us, click on the link above and fill out the form. These stories will be used to share on Cherished Mom’s website and social media for awareness only. If any other use is wanted, we will reach out to you for permission. We thank you for sharing your brave with us in an effort to help other moms feel less alone in their journey! You are a Cherished Warrior!
BIO:
Lisa Abramson is an executive coach, mindfulness teacher and best selling author. As a trusted coach, Lisa has worked with senior executives, consultants and high performers of both large companies and startups and lead workshops at organizations like Cisco, Salesforce, Microsoft and the Stanford Graduate School of Business on Mindfulness and Creating Sustainable Success.
Her popular mindfulness meditations have been streamed around the globe over 750,000 times and she has been featured in Fast Company, NPR, Health Magazine, Refinery29, The Guardian and numerous other publications and podcasts.
Lisa was recently honored as one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders Empowering Women Worldwide by EBW.
She is a mom of two girls and has given a moving TEDx talk about her transition into motherhood that’s been viewed over 60,000 times. For more information, visit: www.lisaabramson.com/
