When the Ground Shakes

I really thought 2023 was my year. Things were starting to look up, and I believed this was the start of something good. I was hopeful, excited, and ready to walk into the best part of my life.

But by end of 2023, everything I thought I knew came crashing down. My world shattered into a million pieces, and nothing felt the same after that.

Before I could share my truth without needing to make anyone the villain. I had to heal so that I could speak from a place of peace, not pain.

This blog isn’t about blame. It’s about becoming. It’s about finding victory in the khaos—Kultured Khaos, to be exact.

Let me take you back…

In June 2023, I believed my relationship of over a decade was finally aligning. We’d been together since 2011. That’s over ten years of growing, dreaming, stumbling, and trying again. I thought we were solid unbreakable.

But by December, it all came crashing down. Some truths came to light that flipped my world upside down—painful, messy truths that hit way too close to home. Let’s just say, when personal and professional lines get crossed, the fallout is next level. Whew.

Sis… you can’t make this stuff up.

That revelation sent me spiraling into one of the darkest seasons of my life. 2024 began like a storm with no end in sight. I wasn’t just heartbroken—I felt like I was in spiritual warfare. Every time I caught my breath, something else hit me.

My therapist probably needed therapy after my sessions. My friends? They were like, “Girl, your life is a movie—call Tyler Perry and pitch the script!”

I was clocking into a job that felt like survival mode. The air was thick with tension, fake smiles, and energy I couldn’t ignore. I was being lied to by someone I trusted, while trying to keep my head up in a space that felt more hostile by the day.

And the worst part? I’d been here before. Different faces, same pain. That déjà vu hit me hard—and it made me question everything, including myself.

But in that storm, I learned something that changed everything:

Chaos can’t cancel your calling.

And just when I felt like I was down for the count, God whispered, “You’re not done.”

He showed me that sometimes He allows the ground beneath you to shake because He’s breaking what was never built on a solid foundation. That every “why” I asked had a purpose. That peace doesn’t come from pretending everything’s okay—it comes from trusting that everything will be, eventually.

I found power in surrender. In knowing that not everyone is meant to receive the blessings God has for me. That some people are seasonal, and some assignments end before graduation. And that’s okay.

There were so many times I said, “I can’t do this.” And God responded through the people around me—especially my mother—with, “Yes, you can.” Her favorite reminder?

1 John 4:4 — Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.

So here I am.

Still standing.

Still smiling.

Still writing.

I’m not here to pretend I have it all figured out. I’m here to grow—with you. To share the beauty, the breakdowns, and the breakthroughs. To show you that even in khaos, there’s kulture. There’s clarity. There’s purpose.

So if life’s been tagging you in the ring non-stop—baby, you are not alone.

I’ve been knocked around too, but I kept my balance on the ropes… and I never fell.

This is just the beginning.

Welcome to the mayhem.

Welcome to the magic.

Welcome to Kultured Khaos.

If this touched you, leave a comment or share with a sister who needs it.

Let’s grow through the khaos together.

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

-CandeeB