“I witnessed my parents’ arguments and physical fights. As a child, I remember thinking, ‘Why would anyone get into relationships if this is what happens?’ I promised myself I’d never personally experience this. How wrong I was!”
‘Deep within, I knew this could not be my forever. I had to get out. If not for me, then for my son’s sake.’: Domestic violence survivor shares journey from abuse to fierce self-love
Diagnosed With Autism At 25: I Spent My Whole Life Trying To Fit In
“Turns out, I wasn’t meant to fit in. Instead, I’m on the outside making waves.”
I Had No Idea What Infertility Looked Or Felt Like—Until It Happened To Me
“I fell asleep from the pain and woke up feeling like I had been hit by a bus. I would never, ever wish this upon anyone.”
‘He was everything I envisioned in a life partner and more. But there was a hitch. He had 2 daughters from a previous marriage.’: Woman overcomes fears to become amazing stepmom
“I was still reeling from a painful divorce. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, and I certainly wasn’t looking for a family. I thought to myself, ‘What the heck am I doing? I’m not prepared for this!’ But as they say, some of the best things happen when you aren’t looking.”
How The Body Positivity Movement Saved Me From My Years-Long Battle With Bulimia
“I weighed myself every day, all day long. My weight after lunch controlled what I’d eat for dinner, and if I’d throw up later. With the ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’ vibe of the early 2000s, it was little wonder I spent years on a never-ending train of diets, flirting with bulimia.”
‘It’s like there’s an engine in my chest and it’s revving for no reason.’: Wife battling anxiety stresses importance of communicating with partner
“His look of confusion didn’t really change. I can’t tell my husband to just Google anxiety because no single definition or description can aptly capture an individual’s experience.”
‘Doctors told my parents I’d never walk.’: Woman with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita walks across stage at graduation, talks defying expectations
“Disabled life can be frustrating. There are many things that hold our community back from experiencing all this world has to offer. But I wouldn’t change it for anything. It has made me the person I am, on top of all the other things life has thrown my way.”
‘He decided to splurge on TWO large cartons of ice cream, but it wasn’t even half the amount he was anticipating.’: Wife shares gentle reminder about compassion after husband’s ice cream fail
“I chuckled, knowing my husband and picturing the eagerness with which he ordered, thinking he was going to have a tasty treat to enjoy for days and not paying any attention to the price or the item descriptions.”
‘It happened to me. And it happened to so many others.’: Woman shares domestic violence story and provides hope for escaping bad situations
“I’ll tell my story for those who think it will never be them.”
How To Respond To Children’s Questions About The ‘Other Parent’ Without Badmouthing
“It’s easy to take the route of ‘an eye for an eye’ and throw out the filter, but we may end up speaking words that cause damage and aren’t easy to reverse.”
One Size Fits All Doesn’t Work For My Spanx, And It Certainly Doesn’t Work For Parenting Styles Either
“To me, parenting style translates to parenting labels, and labels are for mason jars and designer jeans. They have no business in the world of parenting small humans.”
After 8 Years Together, My Boyfriend Still Allows Space For My Husband
“While my husband is no longer here, he is very much present — even in my relationship.”
‘Maybe all I’ll ever be is an aunt.’ The entire 45-minute drive was nothing but tears.’: Woman opens up about battle with infertility
“The positive can seem so far away, but we are all worth being ‘Mommy’ one day.”
‘At 28, I had to come to terms with my own mortality.’: Young woman with stage 4 lung cancer shares reminder ‘it’s not how long you live, it’s how well you live’
“I looked different, I felt different—I felt like I had lost my whole identity to this diagnosis.”
‘6 years old, she showed up at my house in the pouring rain and blurted out, ‘They said they don’t want me anymore. You can have me.’: Mom of 6 shares emotional adoption journey
“I was 24 years old, single, living in a different country, and already had two children. But I knew in my gut Michaelle staying with me was the right thing. After a few months, she scooted over in her bed and said, ‘Look, mom, we have room for one more.’ I nearly choked, but I couldn’t deny I felt the same tug in my spirit. Little did I know, she had a sister.”
What To Do When Your Friend Holds Different Opinions On Topics That Matter To You
“It’s hard enough to maintain a friendship when you don’t share the same stance on your favorite Kardashian (Kim, duh). But what happens when you don’t agree with your president? Or vaccines? Or religion? A little piece of me wants to say delete your friendship cache. Get rid of the people who don’t make you feel like your best self. But then I remember something that happened back when I was a butterfly-clip-wearing middle schooler, and I committed one of the most egregious Girl Code violations on record.”
‘I know this is the right decision because you’re the family I always wanted for myself.’: Foster mom shares beauty and brokenness of adoption
“The door began to open and it was then I made eye contact with a young woman being wheeled out of the maternity floor, with no baby in hand. As joy-filled as we were, I couldn’t shake the image of her birth mom and how devastated she must have been.”
‘I have a friend who can get you into rehab.’ He found me on the floor, passed out in vomit. Crying my eyes out I said, ‘Yes please.’: Man 2.5 years sober after decades-long battle with alcoholism
“There was a time when all I wanted was a ‘normal’ life. I didn’t think it was possible to break the cycle I was trapped in. I took one step at a time. I was determined to work as hard as I needed to, take as many steps as necessary to become the man I wanted to be, and now that man is exactly who I am.”
Hilarious Ways Moms’ Parenting Styles Differ from Dads’
“As funny as these truths are, thank God he made moms and dads to balance each other.”
‘Every time my husband asked if I was okay, I’d put a big smile on my face and say, ‘Yes.’: Mom battling anxiety opens up about the importance of vulnerability
“I’m not sure if it’s society standards, how our brains are hardwired, or hormones (cause we blame everything on hormones, right?). But for some reason, we have the hardest time letting our guards down.”
A Look Inside 16q11.2q 21 Duplication: The Rare Disease Affecting Only 10 People In The World
“Miliah has a multitude of serious health conditions that have deeply complicated every facet of her life. Despite it all, she always has a smile on her face and never ever gives up. I am so deeply inspired by her tenacity and willpower.”
‘There were times I questioned if I was good enough for all this. But I made it.’: Dad shares journey to overcome addiction with help from music
“I remember lying on a mattress on the floor in a filthy room with an overflowing ashtray, blankets stuffed in the windows, praying to God for better days. Those days came.”
‘You’ve doubled in size over the year. I thought it must be medication.’: Woman embarks on weight loss, self-love journey after stranger’s hurtful comment
“My smile started to quiver. I felt my vision blur. I kept my composure the best I could, but only made it through the kitchen door before the waterworks exploded. I knew I’d been gaining weight, but hearing it from a stranger really hurt. I never wanted to feel that way again.”
‘Don’t kill your baby!’ they screamed. ‘My baby is DYING. He is going to SUFFOCATE.’ They never bothered to think of what it was like.’: Woman explains importance of reproductive freedom
“They were calling me a murderer, even when it meant ignoring all the medical professionals and simply allowing myself to die along with Finley. My soul was on fire. And I was angry. No one owes you their story. But I am giving you mine in the hopes it opens your eyes.”
‘The scene from this picture breaks my heart. But our son called it the best day ever.’: Mom shares powerful reminder about perspective after son’s ‘disappointing’ birthday
“His only friend was the nurse he met earlier that morning. There were no other children in sight. There were oxygen tanks instead of balloons and heart monitors instead of bounce houses.”