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Self is inward. It is private. Self is your deepest dreams and greatest aspirations. It is your assets, vulnerabilities, body, mind and spirit. It’s your truth; what you want, who you are and who you want to be.

I don’t think I ever thought about self as its own entity. I’ve thought about self-confidence, the times in my life when I’ve had it and times when I’ve needed it. I’ve thought about words like selfish and selfless, but never about self as separate. Then I began my journey of self-discovery.

A difficult divorce forced me to acknowledge that while I was living my perfect, pretty, married life – catering to everyone else – I abandoned me.

This realization was devastating. I didn’t know who I was, what I wanted or even who I wanted to be. Looking back I see that losing myself in that way prompted the change that was absolutely necessary to getting back to my true self. But back then I just felt alone, wounded and raw.

While trying to survive the changes in my life I went through different stages of healing. This journey of self discovery has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through. I have come to understand that the pain, the struggles, the challenges and sorrows have the greatest impact on our desire for change, awareness, and intent.

The most difficult times in my life were terribly sad and challenging but I am who I am because of them and I wouldn’t be here without their truths. My own truth is that I wasn’t truthful to myself about what I wanted and what I needed. When I finally took responsibility for that I felt relieved, and could then began to forgive myself for the years that I hid myself away. That was when I made this vow to myself:

My path will be filled with success and failures.
I accept them all as they pave my way.
My successes fuel and accelerate my journey. I am grateful and ready for more.
My failures teach me much about who I am. I am thankful for them as they teach me vital lessons.
I vow to listen to me.
The deepest part of me.
Not to be swayed by those who don’t understand or those who do not see as I do.
I vow to make me important.
I vow to be the best me.
The purest, most honest, truthful me.
I vow to be patient, understanding and supportive of me.
I vow to strive to be all that I can be.
To work for and reach every dream.
To appreciate every step and acknowledge that the path IS the experience.
When a dream comes true I vow to dream bigger.
I vow to be grateful for everything in my life.
I vow to love me. Support me. Empower me.

Trust in your path. Trust that you are on your journey for a reason.

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Author. Designer. Style, Inspiration & Branding Thought-Leader. Tricia Mahoney is the Founder of PowerShe, the parent company of StylishShe and InspireShe. PowerShe offers initiatives for women on the platform of helping women empower themselves via image and style: StylishShe, and inner healing and strength: InspireShe.

Mahoney’s career began in high-tech marketing working at powerhouses such as Leo Burnett, Boston and CMGI during the apex of the high-tech/Internet explosion. In 2001 she decided to follow her passion and founded StylishShe, a home-event based jewelry business. The StylishShe brand expanded and Ms. Mahoney was featured in a number of broadcast news stories, newspaper, magazine and online articles.

This success propelled the launch of StylishShe’s Image Consulting services; the image side of PowerShe. In 2012 Ms. Mahoney designed and created an exclusive line of women’s apparel and, combined with her team of stylist, offers support to women of all shapes, sizes and ages with their fashion, image and style needs.

InspireShe, the inner healing side of PowerShe, was born from Mahoney’s desire to help women find inner truth: who you are and what you believe in. InspireShe is the destination for women to find support, resources and products to assist them in their personal journey of discovery.

The flagship InspireShe product offering, The InspireShe Jewelry Line, includes necklaces that have one of seven stones to inspire healing and personal growth.

Ms. Mahoney has a BA in Business and over twenty years experience in both the business and fashion industries. She authored a a style book, StylishShe – Style for Your. Your Body, Your Life; directed/co-authored a healing and inspiration book, Inspiring Shes – Power. Inside and Out; has been a CBS as a style correspondent; and has spoken at both New York University and Boston University.

Ms. Mahoney’s drive is fueled by her passion to empower women to be their best inside and out and to find their voice and true self. PowerShe gives women the the tools and support they need to reach their goals. This transformation is reflected in increased confidence, purpose and empowerment which ultimately impacts their relationships, attitude and approach to life.

What’s next? Her memoir, SHE, which documents her difficult personal journey from darkness into light and its companioning self-help SHE Inspired, the blueprint of the tools and proces of empowerment and healing. She is currently seeking representation for both manuscripts.

For more information, please visit inspireshe.com

This Post Has 19 Comments

  1. She is such an amazing and inspiring woman! Her her ability to empower others is an intangible gift that truly heals.

  2. Tricia just explained herself from the deepest part of her soul outward. To share more of yourself that is not to be seen by all is very brave ,and she has helped those who are going thru hardships that they are not alone. She explained how love comes from within and must start with yourself in order to to love and share with others. Thank you for your truth and inspiring story.

  3. It’s amazing how, that I read an inspiration, it already has happened in my life. I know exactly what you mean Tricia. I have the self confidence, for the past 5years, because that’s when I started to take care of me. Changing how I treat myself. Self-esteem. I walk with my head up, to see where I’m going. That was a awesome Inspiration
    Thank you Tricia. Lots of love

  4. Patrick thank you so much for sharing!

    YES! I literally stand taller with pride of who I am.

    No matter where you are in your life you have a choice…

    to avoid or tackle
    listen or ignore
    be happy or be sad

    I choose to tackle anything and everything necessary to keep me moving forward. I vow to no longer ignore.
    I choose to listen – to me, the deepest part of me – what I want and what I need and feed me what I need to be nourished!

    I CHOOSE HAPPY!

  5. Tricia, i am deeply touched and inspired by your account and the vows you’ve taken to move forward in life. I am also going through a life changing experience since the last 5 years and am very hopeful and now inspired by your for carving a path for my journey forward. Thank you for sharing your experience so openly. I am deeply inspired by your bold and self confident resolve of moving forward. Thank you so much.

  6. It is very important to not loose oneself in catering to the needs of one’s family.It is true that a woman dedicates herself to keeping the house clean and beautiful , and meeting the needs of husband and kids.While these duties are essential for our happiness it is crucial to be stand up independently to face contingencies effectively.

  7. Thanks for your inspiration Tricia, I’m a male in my 50’s who is recently divorced and came to the realisation that I’d put my life on hold for the past 20 years and didnt have an idea of who I was or what my dreams, desires and goals were. It was absolutely devestating as I felt I’d been living someone elses perfect life whether that was living up to the expectations of my parents or my spouse. Its taking some inspection of self to see what its is I like, learning to be gentle with myself rather than berating myself for what I havent done. It is scary and challenging but I now feel energised and inspired to go forward again and create the life I want to live, reinvigorate my passions and live the fullest life I can.

  8. This is so timely and inspiring for me. I have spent the last 8 years taking care of my husband who lived courageously with ALS and passed away this past June. What a privilege it was. But now I am faced with only taking care of me and it seems so scary having the freedom to really know who I am, to define who I am and to live a true authentic life. With God’s help and love I now embark on a journey of self discovery.

  9. I vow to make me important. To love support, and empower myself. Thanks for the reminder Tricia.

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