About us

His Story

A Journey Through the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Life is an intricate story, woven from the threads of our past—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Who I am today, a 30-year-old married man with a 19-month-old son, has been shaped by the experiences and lessons life has brought my way. I see the world differently, and this perspective is a result of everything I’ve been through.

The Good

My mother instilled in me the belief that love is the most important thing in life. She taught me that emotions are not weaknesses—they are part of being human. Through her, I learned that life, in all its forms, is sacred, and that everything has a purpose.

My father, on the other hand, gave me a competitive edge. He showed me how to read people and see between the lines, which has helped me navigate life with insight. He also valued education, encouraging me to strive for good grades, which ultimately led to earning my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science.

These lessons from my parents have been the foundation of who I am—the importance of love, the value of life, and the power of knowledge.

The Bad

Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Growing up, I learned that love alone doesn’t fix everything. I witnessed and experienced alcoholism and abuse. I was bullied, and I bullied others. Relationships taught me hard lessons—sometimes I mistreated people, and sometimes I was the one mistreated.

Yet, through it all, I discovered that life is worth more than the pain. These moments shaped me, not by breaking me but by teaching me resilience.

The Ugly

The darkest chapters of my life still haunt me. From middle school to high school, I experienced night terrors and saw ghosts that caused me to question reality. Fear consumed me, to the point where some nights, I couldn’t even leave my room to go down the hall to the bathroom.

In elementary school, I attempted suicide multiple times, overwhelmed by the weight of my own emotions. In middle school, I stole my father’s credit card and spent over $500 on video game purchases. My freshman year of college was no better—I spent countless nights crying myself to sleep, asking God to smite me.

The Turning Point

But here I am. I survived, and I’ve grown. The good, the bad, and the ugly have all been critical pieces of my journey. Without them, I wouldn’t have the life I have now—a loving wife, a beautiful son, and a fulfilling career.

These experiences have given me a unique perspective, one that I hope can inspire others. I’ve realized that every struggle, every mistake, and every victory has led me to this moment. My story isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation.

Sharing the Journey

Today, I write about what I’ve learned. My goal is to share what I’ve picked up along the way, hoping they can resonate with others. Life may not always be easy, but it’s worth living.

If my story can help someone else see the value in their own journey—the good, the bad, and the ugly—then everything I’ve been through has meaning.

So, who am I? I am a work in progress, shaped by the trials and triumphs of life, and I’m here to remind you that your story matters too.

Her Story

Untangling the Threads: A Journey of Self-Discovery

In short: I’m 30, married, and raising a wildly energetic, creative toddler who keeps me on my toes. While I love being a mom and a wife, I’m working hard to figure out who I am beyond these roles and my career—trying to reconnect with myself in the midst of it all.

What Shaped Me:

From the outside, my upbringing might look like a snapshot of the American dream: a modest house in a small town, a hardworking family, and a world of land to explore. My dad, skilled in many trades; my mom, a nurse; an older sister to guide the way, and me. Family was always close by, and life seemed simple and good. The mantra of our house: “Someone always has it worse.” But, like many who lived a similar looking dream, the reality behind closed doors was more nuanced.

Beneath the surface, there were the quiet struggles of making ends meet, both parents falling in and out of depression, periods of addiction, and arguments followed by slamming doors and tires screeching out of the driveway; all of which I was too young to fully understand but not too young to feel.

As a kid, I worried a lot, ruminated over every possible choice, and felt the pressure of responsibilities I wasn’t even faced with yet. I was untrusting of others intentions and I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything I said or did had the potential to upset the balance of the world around me. I worried about letting people down, making mistakes, or being misunderstood. Even at a young age, I was hyper-aware of the moods and emotions of others, and how my existence altered them.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed school, and though I still questioned my knowledge and worried about making and keeping friends, I learned to camouflage my way through it. I did make friends, and when necessary adapted to others’ interests to keep them. Whether that meant making jokes about others to fit in or being a good sport about being the joke, I got through. all the hiding and pretending made the answer to “Who are you?”, harder and harder to answer. I dodged personal questions like Frogger, focusing instead on keeping others comfortable, being the best listener, and empathizing so deeply for their struggles that their suppressed emotions easily poured out of me.

In college I quickly realized that old habits don’t disappear just because the scenery changes. Though I both liked and feared the freedom it was a needed and welcomed change. This is when I started pushing past the uncertainty about my place in the world, and being open to new experiences, including forming and sharing opinions.

When I entered the workforce, I carried both my strengths and my insecurities with me. I started in roles that required adaptability and problem-solving—skills I had been honing my entire life. I worked hard to prove myself, often going above and beyond to meet expectations. At the start, the tendency to stay quiet when I should speak up or to downplay my own ideas for fear of stepping on toes still arose. Over time, I’ve started to push past those fears. I’ve learned to trust my instincts and recognize the value I bring to the table, albeit still through careful consideration and word choice.

Work has been a space where I’ve challenged myself to step outside of the comfort zone I clung to for so long. It’s been a journey of balancing ambition with self-acceptance, and while I’m still a work in progress, I’m proud of the growth I’ve seen in myself. Looking back now, I see how much these experiences shaped me. They taught me resilience and adaptability, but they also planted seeds of self-doubt and overthinking that I’m still learning to navigate. This blog is part of that journey—a space to share my story, reflect on the lessons I’ve learned, and embrace the person I’m becoming. Life is complex, but so are we. And through it all I’m learning to honor the reality of where I’ve been, and accept who I am becoming.