Through the Storm..I RISE

Through the storm… oh my gosh, we finally made it to December 2025.

First off thank you God!

At the beginning of this year, back in February, I launched the Self-Love Challenge so we could refill our cups... mind, body, and spirit. I thought it would be a quick 30 days of reflection and boom, I’d feel whole again. But God had other plans for me.

Truth is, I’ve always loved self-care. Even in high school, that was who I was, doing my little routines, getting my nails done, pampering myself, showing love to the people I cared about. Somewhere along the line, especially in my relationship with my kids’ dad, I poured so much into someone else that I didn’t even notice I stopped pouring into me.

And I missed that version of myself.I missed my spark.I missed my joy.I missed my voice.

These past three years have been about finding my way back to me...not my old self, but my better self. And that’s why the Self-Love Challenge didn’t end in 30 days. It lasted ten months and still continues. A whole journey. A whole unraveling. A whole rebuilding.

I learned that it’s not just about money, it’s your time, your attention, your heart. It’s amazing to be a good person, but you have to be a good person to yourself first. Overextending yourself is not a personality trait. It’s self-abandonment in disguise.

And the antidote? Boundaries.Self-respect.Honesty.Courage. And yes the word “no.”

Because if you don’t have self-love, people who see your light will try to keep it dim. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes out of their own brokenness. Either way, I refused to let anybody dim me anymore.

I was on a mission to get my spark back because I could feel myself heading down that bitter baby mama road and that’s not who I am, or who I will ever be. I even stopped trying to protect the image of my kids’ dad as a way of protecting myself. That’s not protection; that’s silence. And kids are smart. They see truth without you saying a word.

And now, at the end of this long, messy, beautiful journey, I can finally say:

I came back to myself. I got my voice back.I shed the silence.And like Maya Angelou said, “Still, I rise.” I rise above the hurt.I rise above who I used to be.I rise above the things that tried to break me.I rise into who God called me to be.

And let me say this clearly:

Healing is non-linear. Nobody not family, not friends, not society can tell you how long your healing should take. There is no timeline. Take what you need. Move at your pace. My only advice? Don’t get stuck.If you need help, ask for it. If you need support, reach out. If you need community, find it.

And that’s exactly why I created this space.

The Baby Mama Club is not a place of shame.It is not a place where we tear down people who are trying to grow, heal, and make things right.Here, we don’t mock your mistakes we honor your growth.We don’t silence your story we uplift your voice.We don’t judge your healing we walk with you through it.

Here, we embrace you even more, because you’re trying.Because you’re rising.Because you’re choosing yourself again.

As I close out this year, I am closing the chapter on silence, self-doubt, and shrinking myself for others. And I am stepping boldly into 2026 with love, resilience, and purpose.

To every woman reading this:You are not broken.You are becoming.Take your time.Ask for help.And no matter what… rise.

With Love,

ShelbyB aka Thelitagainmama <3