Embracing My Truth: A Journey Through Loss, Love, and Authenticity
Why I Share My Story With You
How can I expect you, my readers, to truly know me if I don’t reveal the threads that weave my life together—my family, friendships, and the relationships that shape me? The weight of responsibility I carry on social media is immense. Every post, every word, ripples into your lives. But who am I if I don’t define where I stand in this world or how I connect with those I cherish?
Redefining Belonging: Why Conformity Isn’t the Answer
Your story doesn’t have to mirror anyone else’s. Let mine serve as a cautionary tale: a life chasing hollow validations leads nowhere. Instead, let it ignite a fire in you to live boldly, to make love and passion your legacy.
Like many, I once craved the same toys the world idolizes. I blurred luxuries into “necessities,” spending and striving like those still asleep to life’s deeper purpose. It’s like planning an epic adventure, only to waste days glued to a hotel TV. I forgot the battles I’d survived—growing up in war-torn Yugoslavia. The urgency of helping others faded. Grace became an afterthought. I traded a warrior’s mindset for society’s script, measuring worth by man’s standards, not the soul’s.
Beauty’s Trap: Chasing Illusions
I chased society’s beauty myth, mistaking it for self-expression. But true beauty isn’t about replication or fitting into molds—it’s about rejecting the noise and honoring your uniqueness. Thankfully, mentors and life’s harsh lessons dragged me back to clarity. As Tibetan wisdom says: “Tragedy should fuel strength.” Losing hope? That’s the real catastrophe.
The Danger of Living Generic
Too many drift through life, chasing comfort, avoiding risks, echoing others’ ideas without question. They’re lab-grown plants—identical, predictable. But a life without vision? That’s just existing on autopilot. Break free. Question everything. Own your purpose, or someone else will hand you theirs.
Dare to Defy: Live Unapologetically
Rules were meant to be shattered. Laugh at adversity. Leap before you look. Dance like the world’s watching—because it is. Your path isn’t meant to be crowded. Extraordinary souls rarely blend in.
The Cost of Sacrificing “Now” for “Later”
I once traded precious moments for a future that never arrived. My son Stefan’s death in a 2016 car accident—at just 23—taught me this: we take nothing with us. Now, I give freely, wear what sparks joy, and surround myself with those who light up my soul. Possessions? They’re temporary. Presence is eternal.
Letters to Myself: Daily Mantras
Let Go
Each morning, I release the weight of Stefan’s absence. He remains my muse, even in death. Am I still his mother? Absolutely. Loss fractures you slowly—fading messages, vanishing scents, mornings where hope taunts you. Yet love persists, unbroken. My Instagram journey? It’s his legacy.
Speak Truth, Even When It Shakes
No filters. No sugarcoating. I answer hard questions, turning wounds into wisdom. Healing demands confronting pain—not masking it with distractions. My scars? Proof I survived. They remind me: my past trials forged my resilience.
You Were Born to Stand Out
So many message me, longing to trade places. But life isn’t curated photos or endless bliss. It’s messy, raw, and real. Stop pretending. You’re here to be you—not a replica.
Remember Your Invisible Crown
Every morning, I whisper: You’re a champion. Before birth, you outran 250 million rivals. Yet adulthood dims that fire. You’re a warrior—already victorious. The barriers? They’re illusions. You’ve climbed higher mountains.
Poetry Excerpt by Suzy Kassem
A tiny victor, unseen by eyes,
You raced past millions to claim the prize.
Now a giant, why fear the fight?
Your first triumph proves the walls aren’t real.
Forget not the power you wield.
Wrap your soul in self-love this Sunday. You’re divine, just as you are.