After years of neglect, I felt I did not matter and that the world would be better off without me. I grew up alone with my mother in an abusive home. While trying my best to survive, I suppressed my emotions and ended up feeling numb. With damaged self-worth, I jumped into unhealthy relationships while trying to showcase my independence as my strength. Years later, now a single mother, I was infected with HIV and faced a new challenge. The combination of my underlying trauma from my childhood and my new reality almost broke me completely. See how I eventually opened up to a close friend, which allowed me to lighten the burden. Changing my HIV drugs also allowed me to find additional strength to focus on my recovery. Learn how this journey forced me to face my childhood trauma fully and heal my self-worth. Reconnecting with my creative and playful inner child again allowed me to forgive and create space for emotional growth in my illness. With my daughter, I found a new purpose to fully blossom into the woman I want to be.