Grand Opening: My Why Behind “Breathing Freely”

Every story begins somewhere. Sometimes it starts with a single thought, a sentence, a character or person who left an impression, or a moment in time that stays with us long after it passes.

Breathing Freely was something that took years to produce, though only about a year to translate to paper. I couldn’t have written the story it became fresh out of high school, even though that’s when my dream of becoming a published author was born.

I had to live. The journey to become the woman I am today was not always Live, laugh, love. It was much more along the lines of blood, sweat, and tears. I lost a scholarship, dropped out of college, worked my tail off at a 60’s themed diner, got married at 20, had my first kid at 21, my second at 25 and divorced two months later. (The details surrounding that episode of my life aren’t as important as the lessons learned)

I rebuilt my friend circle after my divorce. In the process, I met my best friend — my husband, Jamison. He healed scars he never caused by loving me way before I knew how to accept being loved. My parents loved me as long as I was doing something they could pick up the phone and boast about. Mental health was never discussed, no matter if I hid in my room and rarely came out unless it was to eat. I was seen and not heard, but life was better for me if I could also escape being seen.

Through Breathing Freely, I was able to confront all of that. The feelings of invisibility and being worthless didn’t subside until Jamison gave me room to mess up, be less than pretty, show my worst self, and he still showed up for me. He still loved me.

With the embrace of his love bolstering me, I stopped wearing makeup to feel pretty enough. I stopped shrinking into the boxes people expected me to fit in. Instead, I began to see my naked face in the mirror and liked who I saw staring back at me — someone who was always worthy of love.

Here we are full-circle. My beginning wasn’t pretty to most, but it was a necessity I view with tenderness. It is my hope that Breathing Freely will help others see that they are, and always have been, worthy of love.

Stories have a way of reaching places conversations sometimes can’t — that’s why I created Between the Margins. This isn’t just a space for me to talk about my own books, but to share the lessons, discoveries, and behind-the-scenes moments that come with bringing stories to life.

Thanks for being here,

Haleigh

Between the Margins

A place for conversations about storytelling, publishing, and the journey behind the pages. Here you’ll find reflections from my experience as an author, lessons learned along the way, and resources for writers navigating their own stories.