Lifetime Movie Sort of Life
To those who've told me this story is worth sharing, this is for you… and for myself
Well, ok. Here we go.
Welcome, friend, this is unraveling space.
A place where we’ll attempt to unravel personal mysteries and allow ourselves to unravel our deepest thoughts and secrets in a supported community. This is a space we can meet to unravel safely, and hopefully, create more space within ourselves in the process—space for deeper understanding and connection, greater love, and more joy.
“The unraveling is seeing, feeling, and accepting. Life is sometimes brutal and unfair and unspeakably horrendous.” -Brianna Wiest
The WHY
I’ve lived a… let’s say… interesting life. Some unique experiences of my own choosing, most completely out of my control. I genuinely cannot tell you how many times I’ve been told “Your life is like a Lifetime movie!” Usually not meant as an ill-intentioned comment, yet it almost always sits uncomfortably within me. Honestly, a mundane and uneventful run-of-the-mill life sounds quite appealing.
But would I be who I am today without my Lifetime movie pieces of self? Probably not. Could I grow and help others do the same by sharing my story—good, bad, unbelievable, horrendous, and otherwise? I hope so.
Hi, I’m Ann, and I’ll be sharing space with you here every week. I’m just an average gal navigating work, marriage, hobbies, and family—and more anxiety and panic attacks than I’d like to admit—looking to put some long unanswered questions from my past to rest.
I was raised in a military family, the only child of a single mom—an Army brat, if you will. Growing up was a bit Gilmore Girls-esque, mixed in with too much yelling, intensity, and physical separation as a necessary side effect of war. Right out of college, I worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. NOT the experience I was looking for (to say the least) and I got the hell out of Dodge pretty quick. After bouncing around a bit, looking for myself, I found my husband instead (ah, how fate laughs). We decided to play by our own rules for a while and bought an RV to hit the road.
Somewhere along the journey, we discovered and invested in our passion for vintage clothing, starting our own business selling at events and shops around town. That business is (thankfully) still going, low and slow, while we now work in more “traditional” jobs for frivolous things like health insurance. So, as I would like to say my only focus is writing and vintage, alas, I cannot. I’m also an administrative grunt for a tech company—not fulfilling by any stretch of the imagination, but I work on a great team and count myself lucky.
Now that we’re caught up on a few mundane details, we can jump into some juicy stuff. (But not too juicy, ya know? We must leave space to uncover more lifetime-movie plots. You didn’t think I’d give everything away in the first post, did you?)
So, what’s this pub all about really?
It’s one part investigative writing, one part exploration of self through reflection, one part trauma support posse, and one part joyful discovery.
The first personal mystery I’ll be uncovering with you is the tragic loss of a loved one from childhood. A horrendous and shocking loss that I’ve omitted from most people in my life, finding it easier to stay silent than to grapple with the many follow-up questions and jarred reactions. It’s weighed heavy for many years now—almost 25—and I’m exhausted ruminating on these events in a consistent loop, wondering if there are answers to be found.
What if there’s more to the story?
What if I’ve been told a lie that I’ve carried as a fact for 25 years?
What if I found the answers I’m looking for?
What if I’m not ready?
I will very much be stumbling around in the dark as I start on this mission, searching for my barrings and slowly gathering light to illuminate all the unknowns. Maybe if I can somehow find that damn light switch, and get a full lay of the land, the door can be shut and I won’t feel the need to return to that room.
In sharing my journey, I hope to create a supportive community, not only for myself but for others who are still carrying their trauma and unanswered questions. If that’s you, right here right now, please know that you are not alone in your struggles. Your story, your pain, your life matters and you are seen, heard, and accepted here. Let’s put some of that burden down, unpack it, and heal together. This is a safe space to unravel, for all, I promise.
As this collective grows, we’ll also highlight the writing of others sharing their own trauma experiences and healing journeys—either anonymously or with proper credit depending on the author’s preference.
Healing is not linear. The more we can open ourselves to genuine conversations and share real stories with our fellow trauma survivors, the better we can traverse the peaks and valleys together.
How unraveling space will be structured-ish
I’ll send weekly posts on Sunday mornings (U.S.) for your perusal whenever you have the time or feel ready to engage with them. For the first month (maybe two?), these will be free for all to get to know me and this space better.
On the last Friday of the month (starting in July), you’ll receive a summary highlighting what’s been discovered, discussed, and dismantled that month (with a few joyful musings thrown in).
Free Subscribers:
Monthly recap newsletter
Preview of paid posts
Access to comments on all posts (This is important to me, as it’s vital to have a way to connect regardless of subscriber status)
Paid Subscribers:
All the free content plus…
Full access to all posts, comment features, and archives
Opportunity to engage directly with me and others in the community chat in a more intimate setting (Lovingly referred to as the Trauma Bond Circle)
Founding Member:
All Paid subscriber content plus…
Once there are 15 or more founding members, I will begin recording writings in audio format with personal anecdotes that didn’t make the final editing cut. (This will be a new medium pushing me out of my comfort zone, but if there are enough members who would find real benefit, I will absolutely put myself out on that limb, baby.)
Why should you pay me?
I’ll be spending a great deal of time preparing these writings and engaging with members to add real value to this community. Not only will your financial support be a solid step towards no longer being a slave to the 9 to 5 life and opening up more time for this passion to flourish, but it will also help me pay for research involved in the investigative side—think subscriptions to newspaper archival sites, public record requests and background check fees, etc.
That said, 10% of any money that makes its way to me will be used to assist the Veterans Community Project (VCP), a nonprofit committed to helping unhoused veterans who, in most cases, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or addiction illnesses. Not only does this amazing organization build tiny homes to house these veterans, but they also have a full-service team that individually guides them through medical assessments and treatments, mental health resources and therapy, training and educational services, job placement, and home searches when they’re back on their feet and ready to strike out on their own again. VCP is truly doing life-saving work and I cannot sing their praises enough!
If you’ve made it this far—thank you for being here and allowing me to be open and raw. It’s a dark past I’ll be pulling layers back from and poking at, but I’m ready to see, feel, and accept.
And I’d love for you to join me.
-ann (she/her)
Thank you for your willingness to be open and vulnerable 🤍🤍🤍
So glad we connected in Musing with Mika’s “Find Your Tribe” post, and SO glad that you found the courage to share your first post! I love your writing voice, your humor, and most of all, your willingness to dive in and create this space that I know will be cathartic and healing to you and so many others. (I’m also a big Brianna Weist fan - love that quote at the beginning!)