Can trauma fuel you?
Hey Friend,
So, comedian Mo’Nique broke the internet yesterday (6+ Milion views in 24 hours) on the ‘Club Shay Shay’ podcast. (His show is slowly morphing into the Jerry Springer for celebrities.)
In the episode, Mo’Nique trauma dumped for 3 hours, sharing stories of how she was wronged by:
Oprah Winfrey
Tyler Perry
Lee Daniels
Kevin Hart
Stan Lathan
The entertainment industry
It's fascinating that someone we've revered could face so many challenges and still rise above them. Even as those she's been wronged by have seemingly conspired to ensure she doesn't work, book roles, or act again.
It's blackballing in real-time, but as a society, we often overlook it, caught up in our day-to-day struggles.
Mo’Nique said something that caught my ear: "Coming up as children, we were encouraged and rewarded for telling the truth. As adults, we are encouraged and rewarded for telling lies."
At first, I thought she was off base, but as she elaborated, it became clear.
Consider how long Harvey Weinstein's actions were an open secret. We are incentivized to lie, to hold onto our fears, to bite the bullet. If you have a job, you don't always tell your boss how you feel—especially when we both know your boss is an idiot (hell, it’s probably how he got the job).
But we can't always speak our minds or tell the truth, as that's often the quickest path to the poor house, or a Netflix special if the truth is funny enough.
Mo’Nique is hurt, and rightfully so. She's been betrayed by people who look like her and those she considers friends.
How do you move past being hurt, wronged, or taken advantage of? These are tough questions that people grapple with daily. It's not for us to dictate when someone should get over their trauma.
But how can we transform that energy into something better? Something malleable? Something that fuels us with limitless energy?
These are questions I've pondered without clear answers. But I'm curious about your thoughts.
How do you channel the trauma you've experienced in life to propel you forward?
Always Honest,
Jordan Baylor