Living Bright
I believe our past doesn't determine how bright we can shine.
I am definitely an example of someone who ended up in a position I never thought I would be in...I was a Christian woman who divorced after 22 years of marriage. My destructive marriage to a “Christian” man led me to a couple of psych ward visits, almost dying even though I was not physically abused, and a divorce. I couldn’t understand why God would let this happen. I really felt I had followed God's will. I would have defined myself as a Christian "Kind Girl", someone easy-going, teachable, loving, and giving. Yet somehow, my greatest strengths had become my greatest weaknesses and were used against me. In many ways, I feel the Christian atmosphere had given me wrong messages about “loving others more than yourself” and “submission” that were not Biblically accurate and left me a doormat for others to walk on. I wired kid our 4 kids for a non-loving relationship that looked right from the outside and was an example of abandoning my feelings and myself.
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I was 50% of the relationship and therefore 50% of the problem. My greatest contribution to my divorce was allowing bad behavior at my own emotional and psychological well-being and thinking that was a good thing. I've used the last nine years to be very intentional about doing the hard work of rewiring my brain, recovering, and learning to thrive. Part of that process was working to improve my Functional Codependency tendencies. Functional Codependency has to do with being more interested in the thoughts, feelings, and well-being of others at my own expense.
I have become a successful REALTOR®, Life Coach, Podcaster of Live Brighter with Tara, and founder of the nonprofit Hope Harbor Transitional Living. Hope Harbor Transitional Living. HHTL is a rent and counseling supplementation organization that supports women (and men) learning to thrive after a domestically destructive relationships.
I’ve enjoyed co-creating a marriage with my husband, Mike Schaan, and enjoying my adult kids and grandchildren.
I believe change and freedom can happen as we reconnect with God/Source, Ourselves, and Others 1% at a time. None of our pain needs to be wasted but redeemed.
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Tara
