Why You Don’t Have to Lead with Your Pain to Be Understood

Ask Yourself This First...

This might sting a little - but someone’s got to say it.

Do you often feel the urge to tell people the worst things about your past... before you share the best?

Maybe you find yourself leading with:

• That messy breakup that shattered you

• The anxiety that keeps you up at night

• The trauma that changed everything

• Or simply the story of how lost you still feel
  

And look - your experiences matter. They’ve shaped you in powerful ways.

But here’s the question I want to ask: Do they deserve to define you, right now?

Stop Leading with Your Pain 💭

You’re not alone if this feels familiar.

We’ve been taught that vulnerability means openness - so we over-explain. We overshare. We make sure people understand the why behind our current state before they get to know the who.

But here’s the truth bomb:

👉 You don’t need to lead with your pain in order to be understood.

👉 You don’t need to unpack your past to prove your worth.

👉 Painful experiences are part of your story - but they are not your identity.

Who Are You Without the Struggle?

If someone were meeting you for the first time, would you want the first thing they knew about you to be your trauma?

Your anxiety?

Your confusion about life?

Or would you rather them see the part of you that’s resilient, intuitive, hilarious, creative, and wildly worthy - even in the mess?

Here’s your gentle check-in today:

💭 Am I leading with the things I struggle with, before sharing the things that make me powerful?

💭 Do I believe I have to share the hard stuff to be accepted, or can I trust that who I am now is enough?

Reclaim the Identity That Was Always Yours

At The Joy Project, we help women release outdated stories and reconnect with the identity that’s been buried underneath all the “shoulds,” all the pain, and all the pressure.

✨ Because you are not broken.

✨ You are not a walking trauma story.

✨ You are allowed to show up as more than what you’ve been through.

If you're craving a space to explore this further, we’ve got something just for you...

💛 Join Us at The Joy Project: LIVE in Manchester (Nov 8)

Ready to stop leading with your pain and start leading with your joyful identity?

Come join us in person for The Joy Project: LIVE - a transformative, uplifting day designed to help you reclaim clarity, confidence, and connection with yourself (and other epic women too).

‼️ 50% of spaces already gone — don’t wait! ‼️

👉 Learn more and book your spot here

(or drop us a message if you want to chat first)