Tonight, my dear brother, friend, and talented master of all things visual, Andrew Reed, surprised me with a collection of personal video messages from my retreat attendees.

Ugly. Cried. Y’all.

All the damn feels.

This is the picture I sent to my women, followed by a return video message thanking them for their vulnerability and words.

What hit me in watching their beautiful and heartfelt messages…

Was how close I came years ago to not wanting to be here.

Six years ago, I was in the darkest time of my life. I couldn’t see the way forward and I couldn’t see the way out. To this day, I don’t believe I would have ever punched the final ticket…but I hit a point where I could see why people did.

I remember the very moment I decided I was going to fight my way back.

I remember the night I decided I was going to figure it out, no matter what.

I remember the night I decided I would never give up until I found the answers to what had led me to such a dark time of despair.

And I’m goddamned proud of the woman I am today, because she fought through the darkness to reach the light.

Tonight, I got to hear firsthand what making the decision has meant to others in my life.

And I ugly cried.

Not because I think I’m so great. I am still so very f*cking human.

But because I know how close I came to not being here.

And tonight I really got to experience the impact my decision to stay has had. The decision I made to pay any price to learn the lessons, and the equal decision to teach those lessons to anyone willing to receive them.

My heart is so full.

My purpose is so clear.

Magnifying this impact is my mission.

This is why I do what I do, to show the power and potency of tapping into your own personal “courage to rise”.

F*ck yes, more please.

Sparkle on…