The Power Within: What Speaking My Truth Taught Me About Growth

Tommy & Jen Neitzel at Empoderate Brunch: The Power Within

This weekend, I did something that scared me more than any business challenge ever has.

I stood on a stage at the Empoderate Brunch in Dallas and told my story of domestic violence, publicly, and in detail for the very first time. I talked about the night I was violently pushed to the ground, the sound of my head hitting the pavement, and the friend who dragged me to safety while my abuser’s father went to comfort him.

It was raw. It was uncomfortable. And it was real.

Thankfully, I wasn’t alone in this. My husband was by my side the entire time, loving and supporting me through every nerve and every tear. Our closest friends were there too, anchoring me with their presence. Still, when I got home, I crawled straight into bed and stayed there until the next morning. It took everything out of me emotionally. Speaking those words out loud meant revisiting moments I’d rather forget, but I’ve realized that pretending they didn’t happen only keeps the wound open. I can’t heal what I won’t face, and I’m on a dogged mission to heal, once and for all.

For years, I’ve coached people, especially notaries and entrepreneurs, to step out of their comfort zones to grow their businesses. This weekend, I had to practice what I preach. I wasn’t talking about marketing strategy or social media visibility. I was talking about one of the hardest things I’ve ever lived through, and the even harder thing: refusing to hide from it anymore.

Doing Hard Things Is the Price of Growth

Growth doesn’t come from what’s easy. It comes from what stretches you both personally and professionally. Whether it’s starting a business, learning marketing, or telling a story you’ve buried for decades, growth requires the same muscle: courage.

I used to think success meant controlling the narrative, keeping everything looking polished and perfect. But the truth is, perfection is a cage. Authenticity is freedom. Speaking about my abuse was terrifying, but it also reminded me of something every business owner eventually learns: you can’t grow what you’re unwilling to face.

The Patterns We Repeat

I grew up in a home with narcissistic parents, so toxicity felt normal. Love, to me, looked like walking on eggshells and trying to earn peace. When I met my first husband, I mistook his narcissism for ambition. I thought I’d found someone driven, when really, I’d just found something familiar.

It took me until I was 48 years old (and a lot of therapy) to truly understand that pattern; how my past shaped my choices and how often I confused manipulation for love. That realization was painful. But it was also the beginning of healing. And healing, just like marketing, is about showing up consistently, doing the uncomfortable work, and refusing to quit just because it’s hard.

Growth Is a Practice, Not a Destination

Speaking on that stage wasn’t just about sharing a story. It was about reclaiming my voice. It was about modeling what I teach that growth only happens when you move through fear, not around it.

Even as someone who teaches marketing and visibility for a living, I’m still learning that vulnerability is the most powerful form of connection. The courage to tell your story, whether that’s your business journey or your personal one, is what builds trust, impact, and freedom.

The Power Within

I’m done pretending everything’s perfect. I’m done hiding behind success. I’m here to grow as a woman, a coach, and a human being. This weekend reminded me that stepping out of your comfort zone isn’t just a business move, it’s a life strategy. When you do the hard things, you make space for the powerful things. When you tell the truth, you give others permission to do the same. And when you stop running from what hurts, you finally start to heal.

That’s the real Power Within, and it’s where every great story, and every great business, begins.