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More Difficult Than I Thought

National Infertility Awareness Week 2015 is coming to a close. I’ve felt sad, frustrated, angry, invisible and hopeful.

I have advocated, screamed, cried and sighed a breath of relief.

I have truly felt it all.

Thankfully, I do feel the tide turning ever so slightly.

And, I will not stop until it has.

The messages portrayed in mainstream media, by celebrities and even our fertility clinics must change. But, we as a community, together, must also stop reinforcing and perpetuating these same messages.

We must be more than our numbers.

We must stop comparing our journeys.

We must be more than our quest to become parents.

We must never give up on ourselves.

We must practice hope balanced with active acceptance.

We must accept that there are many versions of the happy ending.

And, we must be in this together.

This week I wrote a piece for Resolve’s Bloggers Unite project, you can read the post here. To be honest I struggled immensely with writing this piece, it was a labor that I had to eventually walk away from not knowing that it was really my brave heart beginning to rear for my HuffPost piece.

My piece for HuffPost Parents is my soul’s song, it is my mission, it is my ever upward baby. I simply needed to write it after feeling so invisible myself this week, you can read the post here.

And finally, CNN ran our story and featured Ever Upward, you can read the piece here. There are no words for how grateful I am for this piece, how well Kelly wrote it and the feedback we are receiving on it. I only wish it reaches far and wide so others may find their permissions.

Please share, we have so much work to do in infertility education and compassion.

We also have so much work to do ourselves, and together my fellow warriors it can change.

Author:

A Licensed Professional Counselor, Justine Froelker has over 25 years of experience in mental health, personal growth, and professional development. For eleven years, she was certified in Dr. Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability, courage, and empathy. Justine now shares her own curriculum, Courage is Built Here™. This transformative program empowers individuals to live and lead with self-awareness, authenticity, and resilience, building a foundation for courage-centered leadership. In addition to writing her blog since 2013, Justine is an accomplished author of twelve books—including five Amazon bestsellers—Justine has written across genres, from children’s books to in-depth explorations of infertility, faith, grief, and leadership. She has delivered two TEDx Talks, The Permission of the And and The Donut Effect, which highlight her unique perspective on navigating life’s complexities with grace. Justine is a sought-after speaker who travels nationally and presents virtually to global audiences, delivering keynotes, workshops, retreats, and trainings on topics such as leadership, resilience, mental health, coping with burnout, courageous and curious conversations, and fostering cultures of inclusion and belonging. Justine lives in St. Louis with her husband Chad and their two dogs, Gertie and Winston. You’ll often find her volunteering at Wild Bird Rehabilitation—supporting the medical team and feeding hundreds of tiny, hungry babies during baby bird season. And during butterfly season, her home comes alive with the flutter of wings as she raises hundreds of monarch and swallowtail butterflies.

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