In this episode, I chat with my friend Bre about being raised by a single mom, moving as a teenager and the struggles that came with that, being in an unhealthy relationship with someone who was mentally and physically abusive and a marriage that ended in divorce, which led to her being a single mother.*

Bre was raised by a single mom until she was 9. They lived in Vegas during that time. At 9, Bre’s mom married the guy she refers to as dad and they moved to Ogden. Not long after, her dad’s dad died, so they had to move to Circleville to take over the farm. “I was never happier.” A couple years later, Bre’s mom had had enough. She took the kids and moved them to St. George. Their dad shortly followed.

One summer, when Bre was 15, she stayed with a friend in Circleville. She felt like she was really living her best life… Until her mom showed up and said she needed to come back home because school was starting soon. “My whole world came crashing down that day.”

Bre started doing a little better after her parents made her switch schools. But then she met a boy and dated him all through the rest of High School. This boy was mentally and physically abusive. He would tell her she was fat. If she ate something he didn’t like or didn’t “approve of,” he would make her run. Bre’s parents could tell something was going on because she was super skinny and was lashing out again. Bre’s best friend went to her mom to let her know what was happening in Bre’s relationship. At that point, her parents stepped in and told her no more.

Because of the change, Bre didn’t know who she was anymore. She was so worried about the boy hating her. She didn’t know what she’d done and she didn’t feel like life was worth living without him. Bre loaded her gun and planned to take her life. Then her dad walked in. Bre describes being in “the devil’s grasp” during that time.

After various unhealthy relationships, Bre married and they had two sons together. Unfortunately, the marriage did end in divorce and Bre was a single mom. “Those were the hardest and yet best years of my life.” Bre lived with her parents again after that. She said she was super depressed and pretty much slept for two months after the divorce. Finally her parents told her she needed to get off her butt and take care of her kids. That was another huge turnaround for her. Bre figured out what she needed to do, started a successful business that she still runs today and was able to move into her own place.

She has since remarried and had another baby. Together, they have five children.

Listen to the full episode for all the details.

*Please note: this is the guest’s story. Their story is how they perceive it. It is not my judgement or responsibility to determine whether or not this story and the things said are true. Please be open minded when listening to/reading these stories.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
-If you have a loved one in a situation that you know is bad, stand up for them, no matter how hard it may be. Tell their parents, tell their family, do whatever you need to do to protect your loved one. They will more than likely hate you for it at the time, but will be grateful in the end.
-Have the power to break the cycle.

LINKS TO THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
-Bre’s business: Rockin’ H Studios
–JaKale Park’s episode
–Definition of a narcissist
–Enneagram quiz
–Love Language quiz
–Christine Pinder’s episode
-Bre’s favorite book: A Child Called It
-Bre’s favorite product: Maskcara makeup
–Bre’s Instagram

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