Hey friends,

Last night, I had the honor of being the featured speaker for United Suicide Survivors International’s first webinar of 2025. We talked about surviving the impossible — and how sometimes the work of staying alive starts with simply telling the truth.

This was never about building a life that looks good.
It’s about building a life that actually feels good to live in.

For so long, I chased someone else’s definition of success — one rooted in perfection, performance, and approval. But all that efforting left me stuck, unseen, and secretly aching.

Then it all cracked open.
And in the mess, I found something I never expected: magic.

• Success is knowing yourself.
  That’s it. To thy own self be true. Everything else flows from there.

• Purpose isn’t something you achieve — it’s something you share.
  My purpose is my voice, my story, my art, my learning. It’s the way I connect, reflect, and show up for others. That’s what makes me want to wake up in the morning.

• Art is healing.
  Writing. Drawing. Singing. Resting. This is how I come back to myself. If you’re wondering how to start healing: create something. Anything. Your life is art.

• You don’t have to fit in to belong.
  Belonging is not about reshaping yourself to be liked. It’s about showing up fully as you are, so you can be seen and loved for who you really are. The thing that gets in the way? Trying to be who you think you “should” be.

Suicidal ideation often stems from two core wounds:

1. Thwarted belonging

2. Feeling like a burden — as if your life doesn’t add value, or worse, hurts others.

I know those feelings well.
But here’s how I began to heal them:

• I stopped asking, “How can I be good enough?” and started asking, “Who am I really?”

• I surrounded myself with people who saw me — and let go of the spaces where I couldn’t be my full self.

• I stopped performing and started connecting.

• I built a life that fits me — even if it looks nothing like what I was taught to want.

And I keep doing that work, every single day.

Music helped unlock this journey. Here’s the song I wrote when I started living from truth instead of fear:

▶️ Listen to “No More Boxes” on Spotify
A love letter to the moment I chose myself.

I’ve created Magic Mess Bookshop, a curated list of books that supported my healing — from queer memoirs and spiritual guides to stories that helped me feel seen. Every purchase supports indie bookstores, and every book is handpicked.

📖 Visit the shop here

✨ Want more? I’m building a list of must-reads for healing, self-love, and mental health.
Drop your favorites in the comments, or reply to this email — I’d love to hear what saved you.

If you or someone you know is desperate for hope, purpose, or a reason to stay — you are not alone. I would be honored to hear from you. Truly.

☎️ Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7): Call or Text 988
www.988lifeline.org

You are so loved.
You are not alone.
These two truths saved my life — and I hope they meet you today, wherever you are.

With tenderness in the mess,
Molly