hi. im so glad you are here.
if you are here it is because you are likely craving authenticity. you want the real reel. not the instagram reel.
you are just like me.
maybe you follow me on instagram and know that I am divorced. or that I struggle with anxiety. or that sometimes I completely loose it on my kiddos & then wear the heaviness of mom guilt. maybe you too are walking those paths right now, and so finding a companion . . . even if through the internet . . . is balm for your wounds.
and so i will preface this series with a very bold & sincere statement. these are my stories. my journeys. my trials. my heartaches. my restorations. my accomplishments. my dead end decisions. my proud moments. my hard work. my progress. my healing. my lessons learned. please honor them as such.
as i share stories of hurt & trauma & shame . . . know that is me opening my heart on a very real level. not for sympathy. not for attention.
but for the simple truth that perhaps my stories hold the key to unlock someone elses prison doors. and how selfish of me to not share?!
to be honest. as I have walked through different chapters in my life I always wanted someone to saddle up beside me and say
“I have been through that. you’ll be ok.”
or “I have made that mistake. be gentle on yourself.”
or even “I struggle with that. you are not crazy.”
you see. there is undeniable comfort in familiarity. knowing that someone else out there has experienced something similar to you. and they made it out on the other side. that is connection.
but the problem is. nobody is talking about these things. nobody is being completely vulnerable with their life peaks & valleys. because we are too proud. and too scared. and that prison door just stays dead-freaking-bolted shut.
so many of us are suffering silently because we are too afraid to speak our truth & tell our stories. meanwhile in the house next door, she is suffering silently, too.
she is drowning in the exhaustion of parenthood. he is struggling with addiction. she is embarrassed of her mental illness. he is grieving the breakdown of his marriage.
we all have shit. and its time we start talking about it. and helping one another walk through it. the good. the bad. the ugly. the weird. all of it.
so lets come together here. lets share our stories. the ones that have left us crying in a puddle on the floor. the ones that have left us feeling sky high. the ones that we are really proud of. and the ones that have left us working through shame. all of them. all of them. allllll of them.
because they have value. and we need to own them.
all that being said. welcome. grab a coffee. let’s get to talking. I can’t wait to share my stories with you. we will talk about them all. big & small. literally. buckle up, gang. this will be fun. here is what you can look forward to :
big time parenting mess ups. super parenting success stories. my divorce story. navigating a positive & respectful co-parenting dynamic. being friends with your ex. navigating divorce with kiddos. anxiety 101. living with anxiety & ocd. dating after divorce. the divorced gals rules for dating. blending families. boundaries. overcoming shame. learning to believe you are enough. losing friendships. mending friendships. authenticity. walking through grief from unexpected death. healing past trauma. learning to trust yourself. and sooooo much more.
love you all big time. so glad you are here.
welcome to the real reel.
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I love everything about this!
Dear Kristen,
Thank you for being courageous enough to share your journey!! You are definitely not alone. As you said we all have shit. Overwhelming at times. I look forward to hearing your journey as I am navigating a lot of what you have been through just older (definitely not wiser). Not feeling alone is hard. Many prayers for you!!
Love this! Thank you ❤️
Anxiety at times overwhelms me. It still my joy in the little and big things. I dread nightfall because it gets worse.
Love that you are doing this. I think women need sounding boards that get the emotions and issues that are unique to women. Let’s put menopause on the list!
LOVE this idea!!! Can’t wait to see more!
This is a wonderful idea. Everyone needs to know they are not alone. We share each other’s grief and celebrate each others victories. I am sure this will be therapeutic for all.
One big ole hot mess right here. On the up at this time. Surviving a teen girl who believes it is her mission to push me over a cliff. Divorced and in a relatiinship so learning how we blend our lives and kiddos.
I love how honest and real you are.
Let’s do this… I got you and you got me
You are an amazing mama to 3 adorable boys! Thank you for sharing your life and your many talents with all of us!
Love this! Thanks for opening the door!
I love everything about this!! Thank you for sharing your stories with us
I love everything about this❤️
Love that you are doing this because Instagram paints such a lovely picture if lives, and well, life isn’t always that way. Love the REAL.
Love that you are doing this because Instagram paints such a lovely picture of life, and well, life isn’t always that way. Love the REAL.
Thank you for sharing and for being Authentic.
Love this soooooo much! Fellow OCD mom.