Feeling lost by doing what she thought she should be doing, Brooke Slade decided to start writing her own story. By following her dreams and standing in her own truth she was able to become free to love herself fully.
Tell us what type of transformation you have been through.
Over the past 7 years, I have experienced much transformation, as I have grown into the woman I feel I was meant to be, rather than the woman I was told I should be. I think we all (women) get that, we are conditioned to seek a certain type of life and one day we realize, “Hey, this is my story, I get to write it!”. So, as we begin to step into our true selves, we grow, we unlearn we are transformed. I have transformed from a person doing to a human being and I love myself deeply.
What ignited the push for your transformation?
The impetus for this transformation was a mid-late 20s “identity-crisis”. I was living in NYC, just getting over a difficult break-up, not unhappy but just going through the motions: wake, work, home, repeat— with the occasional brunch, happy hour or weekend away. I was “all over the place” in terms of friends, I didn’t know how to be a good friend to myself or other people, really. But, one day, something sparked within me-- I wanted to figure out why I was here, I wanted more. I wanted to be better, I wanted to do better.
What were or are the biggest challenges of this transformation?
The biggest challenges were:
1) Following my dream. Telling my family that after finally finding a “real job” in the NYC (I was working as a PR Director for an interior design brand) that I was taking a leap of faith. I needed to really follow my dream (at the time) of working as a full time model. I laugh now at the need to tell my family and the desire of approval for my next step.
2) Standing in my truth and holding myself accountable. Once I decided I was going to live better, it required that I’d not only be better but make amends for the times I may have hurt others, forgive myself for the ways I treated myself and others, and hold myself to a higher standard—showing up as the best version of myself always and acting from a place of love. This was difficult initially, because vulnerability can be hard, initially. But now, it’s my nature—love first, always.
What are the biggest rewards to have surfaced from this transformation?
I live in my truth, everyday. I am grateful, happy and free.
What advice would you give someone contemplating a major life change?
If you feel the need to change, just do it. That voice inside that’s telling you “it's time for something new” is telling you the truth. Our minds and bodies are wiser than we think.
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