I used to think my story was just the pain.
The heartbreaks. The mistakes. The times I felt like I wasn’t enough.
I carried them like a name tag: “Hi, I’m the one who messed up. Hi, I’m the one who’s been abandoned. Hi, I’m the one who had to start over too many times.”
And people were all too happy to remind me of it. Society has a way of keeping women, especially women of color, in those boxes. “She’s the single mom.” “She’s the strong one.” “She’s the girl with baggage.”
For a long time, I let those labels define me. But then I learned something powerful:
Yes, those things happened to me… AND I am so much more.
Yes, I’ve been broken.
And… I’ve learned how to put myself back together with grace and faith.
Yes, I’ve made mistakes.
And… I’ve used them as lessons to grow wiser, softer, stronger.
Yes, I’ve been overlooked.
And… I’ve discovered that my worth was never up for debate in the first place.
The “and” is where the power lives. It’s the bridge between where you’ve been and where you’re going. It’s the reminder that your story isn’t finished, and your identity is not limited to your hardest chapters.
So when I say “I am the sum of all my parts,” I mean I carry the pain and the joy, the tears and the laughter, the failures and the triumphs…and all of it makes me valuable.
Reflection Prompt
Take a moment to write your own Yes, And… statement.
- Yes, I went through ____.
- And, I also ____.
Keep it close. Read it out loud when doubt tries to creep in. Because your Yes, And… is your truth.
Love,
Drea
Conversations With Drea 