Survive. Revive. Thrive

Today started simple with a little spring cleaning. I cleaned my baseboards, wiped down the windows, mopped the floors turned on my favorite gospel playlist, and lit a candle to shift the energy. If you grew up in a Black household, you already know the cleaning vibes: gospel or 90s R&B. No in-between. And since it’s Sunday, gospel won.

Somewhere between the sweeping and scrubbing, I started thinking (because sweeping is lowkey my therapy). And this thought just hit me: when I was in my most depressed season, I didn’t have the energy to do any of this.

I wasn’t thinking about baseboards. I was barely thinking about myself.

I was just surviving.

So, I want to say this to anyone in their survival season:

Don’t feel guilty for simply trying to stay afloat.

Don’t shame yourself for what you didn’t do while you were doing the best you could.

Looking back, I spent years in functional depression. Smiling, showing up, being a mom, being a partner, holding it all together… but inside, I was running on fumes.

Now that I’m no longer in that relationship, I can see how deep in survival mode I really was. And it blows my mind that sweeping—literally just cleaning my living room—triggered that reflection. But God is intentional like that.

Here’s what I realized:

The heartbreak I went through wasn’t just pain—it was a push.

It led me to therapy.

Therapy led me back to God.

And God led me back to me—not the wife, not the girlfriend, not the mother, not the caretaker- Just Me.

That rediscovery? That’s what gave birth to this blog.

I’ve always known I had a story worth telling, but I used to be scared of how people would receive it. Not anymore. My story is mine. And I’m going to stand on it.

So to the woman who’s surviving

Give yourself grace.

When the time is right, let yourself revive.

Because you weren’t born to just get by.

You were born to thrive.

Own your storm. Protect your peace. Move with grace.

-CandeeB