Irina’s Story – It led me here

To make a very long story a little shorter, from around the middle of 2011 to January 2020 I was psychologically abused by my ex boyfriend’s mother and in some ways even by him. When I finally got away, I spent a long time feeling sad and angry about all those years I was trapped. My life had been on hold because I believed he would eventually choose me over his mother, but he never did. Not once did he stand up for me.

I decided it was time to take better care of myself and cherish my freedom. I went to therapy to work through the trauma and the issues I developed during those years. Slowly, I began to feel grateful for the life I was building in my first own apartment.

Eventually, I started dating again, although I had already made up my mind that I was moving back to my hometown in October 2021. But on the seventeenth of February, I met Christian, and everything felt right. Within a few short months, I moved in with him. He has helped me heal so many of my emotional wounds, and even though some things are still complicated, I feel incredibly grateful. I love the life we share together with our two cats Ruby and Loki, and our dog Dolly.

I have been using the Gratitude app for about a year now, and it has helped me see many other aspects of my life with a deeper sense of appreciation. Sure, I am still sad about the things I missed because of all those years with my ex and his mother. They damaged several friendships and even a few family relationships. But if I had not gone through all of that, I would never have come to this town. I would not have met my soulmate, and I would not have married him on the fourteenth of September 2024.

I have struggled with depression since I was fourteen and often felt that life was unfair. But these years with Christian, despite the challenges, have shown me how beautiful life can be. I am grateful for how well we have integrated into each other’s families. I am grateful for how far I have come in healing from my trauma. And even though I am turning thirty-five this year, I still feel like I have my whole life ahead of me with endless possibilities waiting to be explored.

Thank you for reading my story, and take care.