Stop Hiding and Start Living

Have you ever found yourself trying to hide in social situations?  Someone pulls out the camera and you run to the back to get behind others to hide or you run to the bathroom to get out of it completely?  Are you a selfie queen where all of your social media pictures are from the neck up and from an upward angle?  lol  I know this tactic well because I was the queen of it.

When social media made it's appearance in my life in 2009 I couldn't even fathom putting pictures of myself out there for everyone to see.  I used to hate the woman I saw staring back at me in the mirror.  If you were to look at pictures of my boys when they were young you would have to search high and low to find very many with me in them.  It makes me sad that I was ashamed of myself and stayed away from the camera during that time.

People have always told me that I seem super confident to them but I honestly think it was a coping mechanism I learned as a child.  I put a smile on my face even when I did not feel like smiling because I knew that I had to hide what was really going on in my life.

All women struggle with things they don't like about themselves.  For some it's weight, cellulite, skin issues, hair and for others it could be addiction, abuse, or mental illness.  I just want to help all women find the things they love about themselves and build confidence and acceptance around those.

The issues we think are our biggest downfall could be our greatest blessings.  We are each unique and beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.  God does not make mistakes and he made you!  He made you exactly the way you are for a reason.

I encourage you today to stop hiding and start living!  Get out there and throw caution to the wind and be like that carefree little girl before you realized your flaws.  We all have them.  No one is immune to them.  So.... share your fabulousness with the world.  The more we celebrate who we are the more we give others the permission to do the same.  


8 comments


  • Andrea Rogers

    My whole life I have been complete opposite to what everyone perceived as pretty, popular,normal ect. While very quiet, reserved, nerdy (straight a student ) and never being into partying and dating, working hard to do well in everything I could when i was growing up, i believed that would give me the feeling of acceptance I so longed for. I lost my voice, " literally " from age 16 to 18. After getting it back, becoming the funny, mature, caring ( too much )and responsible adult was the way I chose to seek that acceptance. Never giving myself permission to just be me. Always caring what people thought and said about me to the point of holding me back from everything I dreamed of. Now 46, single, never married and an adoptive mother of a beautiful 4yr old lil girl, I find myself wanting all the happiness I never allowed myself to find due to my compulsive need to care and please everyone around me. Both mental and sexual abuse are apart of my past. Men that I believed if I did all I could to please, stay when others would have left, and taken more of my self worth than I could bare would love me the way I loved them only treated me worse because I took the crap they dished out, stayed and required no commitment or respect from them. Now its time for me to be the woman I know I always have been. Being told I’m loud, over the top or extra is nothing new. I took those comments to heart. My depression and anxiety have effected my ability to be the mom, and role model I always wanted to be for my daughter. Your story hit home and give me new hope and inspiration for me to be that woman I always wanted to be. Starting with embracing my weight and age. I would absolutely love to speak more with you and bring your inspiration, style and motivation to others where I live. Thank you for being you!!!


  • Jill Dubell

    I am a new subscriber, and I love your clothing! Do you restock once a month or is it a once it’s sold I’m done with that piece of clothing? So many of the shirts that I wanted to order were out of stock. I would appreciate your reply. I did order one shirt.
    Thank you
    Jill Dubell


  • Lynn Barbee Hinton

    I completely identify with your story. Now, in my mid-50’s I feel a welcome shift into my power. I will no longer be ignored, no longer hide. I’m a beautiful, loving and caring person & I’m vowing to give myself grace and show myself to the world. Love you, Shelli!


  • Penny Wallis

    Shelli,
    As much as I have read other people’s stories and thoughts on the subject of accepting ourselves, they have never hit me as yours has. Bottom line, most of us have our own issues where we feel we are lacking or inadequate in some way. But God made each of us, and He does not make mistakes; there is beauty in us all. All sizes, all shapes, in all ways we are enough and we need to quit looking in the mirror with critical eyes at ourselves.


  • Pam Thacker

    You have no idea what an influence you are to woman. I find myself saying that I am stupid at least 5 times a day if not more. I’m trying to love myself more but it is a journey. Thank you for always being a bright light for me and other women like me.
    Love you sister!!!!!


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