You’re Worth the Effort

It has been years, and yet you may still carry this constant feeling of worthlessness every day. You may tell yourself, “I’m not worth it,” “I wish I felt differently about myself,” or “No one could love me enough.” Those thoughts can be frightening, and they can grow out of many kinds of abuse, especially sexual abuse. I know those feelings personally. Sometimes they do not just hurt in the moment. They can follow you for years and make you believe they are simply part of who you are. But they do not have to be.

Even if you have lived through something painful enough to feel like it belongs in a storybook, your story is not over yet. The ending has not been written. You are still allowed to choose a future filled with peace, love, growth, and the happiness you deserve. You can rewrite your story into something beautiful, and you may even surprise yourself with how different life can become when you begin to believe that the darkness does not get to have the final word.

One of the most meaningful things I did for myself during my healing was write letters to myself as a child, a teenager, and an adult. I kept those letters private because they carried feelings that were deeply personal and difficult to explain. Still, writing them felt sacred and freeing. For once, I gave myself permission to feel everything: anger, sadness, numbness, hope, and eventually joy. Some parts were painful. I even wrote about how angry I was with myself for allowing things to become so heavy. But healing can be messy like that. Sometimes we have to face the feelings we buried before we can finally let them go.

Hard seasons can reveal strength in us that we did not know was there. Sometimes you do not realize how strong you have become until you look back and see how far you have walked. Then, little by little, the weight begins to lift.

There were also times when the darkness brought me closer to my Heavenly Father. I knew I could not carry everything alone, and I found comfort in believing that He was still with me in the moments when I felt weakest. I wish more survivors knew how deeply loved they are. There are people, even strangers, who want to see you smile again, hear you laugh again, and remind you that your life can still hold beautiful things.

You are going to make it. Even if your current situation makes you feel like there is no way forward, there can still be a path you cannot see yet. Keep going gently. Keep choosing yourself. Keep holding on to the belief that your story is still being written, and that darkness does not get to decide how it ends.