Two years ago, I wrote a story on HIV/AIDS activist Asha Molock who contracted HIV at the age of 50. It was the last thing she expected to hear. People her age are often not considered at risk, so it was a shocking revelation. For years Asha kept her diagnosis a secret and it took a toll on her.
“Secrets can damage your spirit and rot your soul. And that’s what I felt was happening to me.”
Asha Molock
Sometimes the way we show ourselves love and kindness is by refusing to let shame and fear plant flags in our mind.
One thing about telling your story is that it will benefit you too. God will never use you to bless others and not allow you to be a beneficiary of that blessing. It may be hard at first, but it gets easier. However, you have to be ready and feel compelled to share.
Your comfort zone is limiting
We love to be comfortable. In fact, there is plenty of security and safety within our comfort zones. We have control in our comfort zones and we love that. The idea of giving that control over to the unknown is frightening. But the very thing that makes you feel safe may be holding you back from living freely.
“Sometimes we let fear take control and take a life of its own inside our heads, and we are thinking the worst.”
Asha Molock
It took several attempts before Asha was finally ready to share her diagnosis with the world. As she mentions in her story, disclosure is not for everyone but it was for her.
Whether you choose to tell people about your story or not is a personal choice. What’s important is that you make peace with your story and that you resolve to love yourself unconditionally.
Read Asha’s story below:
Vimbai E. is a content marketer, ghostwriter, and the founder of The Weight She Carries. With hundreds of articles and stories publishing online, in print and for broadcast, her love of language and storytelling shines through every piece of writing that bears her name.