Some truths I haven't shared in photos
I've written openly about being ill.
About the stroke.
About bacterial meningitis.
About recovery, fear, pain, and hope.
What I haven't shared much of…
is me.
Not my face.
Not my body.
Not the version of myself that felt fragile, swollen, exhausted, scared, and - yes - deeply insecure.
I could talk about it.
But I couldn't show it.
And for a while, that made me feel…disingenuous.
Like maybe I wasn't being brave enough.
Like maybe I was somehow an impostor for protecting myself.
But here's the truth I'm learning to stand in:
👉 You can be honest without being exposed.
👉 You can be real without being visible.
👉 You are allowed to protect yourself while you heal.
I wasn't hiding.
I was surviving.
There's a lot of pressure, especially on women, to "show it all" to prove authenticity.
No makeup.
Messy hair.
Hospital beds.
Raw vulnerability on demand.
And while that bravery is real and valid…
so is the quiet bravery of saying: not yet.
I understand deeply why some women don't want to show themselves when they're not at their best.
When they don't recognize their own reflection.
When their body feels foreign.
When confidence is gone and gentleness is all that's left.
That doesn't make us fake.
It makes us human.
So yes -
I chose words over images.
Reflection over exposure.
Protection over performance.
And that choice was honest.
Healing isn't a photo op.
It's personal.
It's tender.
And sometimes, it happens off-camera.
If you've ever felt guilty for not sharing everything…
If you've ever protected a version of yourself that felt too raw for the world…
Please know this:
You're not less real.
You're just honoring your boundaries.
Resilience in Action: Self-compassion & boundary-setting - knowing when sharing helps healing, and when privacy is the healing.
For all things Lizzie, check out 👇
🌳 linktr.ee/thelizzieexperience