Trina stood in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her. She wanted to see what her friends saw—someone who was kind, confident, and full of love. But the woman she saw didn’t always match that image. Most days, she played a role, pretending to be the person she wanted others to believe she was. She was afraid that revealing her true struggles would make her a burden, even though she knew people enjoyed being around her. She feared that showing vulnerability would change things, so she sacrificed parts of herself to keep up appearances. Sound familiar?
But something shifted after a recent meeting at work. Trina had approached her bosses about adjusting her schedule to accommodate her son’s special needs. She expected resistance, but instead, they praised her for how she presented her case, saying how confident and composed she was. For the first time in a long while, she believed it. That moment ignited something in her—a spark of the confidence she had been pretending to have all along. Except this time, she wasn’t pretending. This was the first time since she could remember that she truly saw confidence in herself.
Like many of us, Trina had faced her share of challenges in life. One challenge, in particular, was navigating her dad’s illness. From the age of six, she shared that bond with him, spending countless hours at the lanes. She had put it aside for years, but as her dad’s health declined, she returned to it, seeking comfort in the memories they had created together. Now, with her first trip to nationals in Las Vegas just around the corner, it was more than just a game. It was a connection to her father, a reminder of the love and joy they shared.
That’s why she chose to do a CRAVE experience. Trina wanted to see herself through the lens her friends and family saw her—kind, loving, confident, and, most importantly, human. For so long, she had hidden her true self behind a façade, afraid of burdening others with her struggles. But now, she was ready to embrace all of herself, flaws and all, and celebrate the woman she had become. This experience was her way of acknowledging her journey and honoring the strength she found along the way.