Shine Bright Anyway: Finding Light in the Darkest Moments

We had the pleasure of speaking with Faith Broussard Cade, a remarkable advocate for self-care, wellness, and personal healing. With 15 years of experience as a professional school counselor and mental health counselor, Faith’s journey is as diverse as it is inspiring. She has worn many hats—including a baker and food blogger. Life circumstances, however, eventually led her to her calling in writing powerful, uplifting handwritten affirmations on paper, which she generously shares with the world. Her passion for encouraging others has blossomed into a flourishing career as an author, with two guided journals and her book, Shine Bright Anyway: 90 Affirmations That Declare You Are Enough When the World Says You’re Not.

Through her social media presence, Faith has inspired over 300,000 people to embrace introspection, gratitude and find peace in the everyday. As a mental health counselor and coach, she helps others recognize that everything they need to create the life they desire already lies within them. With a focus on self-exploration, kindness and gratitude, Faith empowers people to step into their own power and live authentically.

In this candid conversation, Faith shares her insights on the transformative power of self-care, her approach to mental wellness and how we can all find strength and solace in the most unexpected places.

Can you describe how your car accident on January 9, 2018, changed your perspective on life and self-care?

On January 9, 2018, life came crashing into me out of nowhere and rocked me to my core. I was hit from behind in a motor vehicle accident on my way to work that morning, and I sustained a concussion, and a traumatic brain injury, conditions that continue to challenge me on a daily basis. Shortly after the accident, I began to struggle with migraines, sensitivity to light and sound, chronic physical pain, insomnia, sensory issues, and distractibility. I was unable to return to my career of school counseling that I had been in for over 10 years and was forced to resign. I felt broken and lost, confused as to how I was going to continue my career as a helper, since that was how I had always defined myself. What was I going to do without the occupation that I felt gave me purpose in life?

For years, I struggled with chronic pain and headaches, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, 4-5 day stretches of chronic insomnia, and unshakeable anxiety. In the midst of all of the physical, mental, and emotional challenges I faced on a daily basis, I lost my job as a school counselor which caused an unimaginable financial strain on our little family. We were trying desperately to make ends meet from week to week, and we almost lost our home. The amount of stress we were under felt unfair and oftentimes, unbearable. I struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy for my family: to be the wife and mother I’d always been while also prioritizing my own recovery. My entire world had shifted in a split second and I felt like I couldn’t regain a sense of control, no matter how hard I tried.

How did writing daily self-care notes on Instagram contribute to your healing process?

I knew I had to find a way to prioritize my mental health in the midst of tragedy. I had to figure something out. FAST. My life was falling apart at warp speed and I had no clue how to even begin to pull myself back together. And without realizing that I’d be learning a lesson about anything, I set out to adjust just a little: how I saw myself, how I loved myself, and how I took care of myself. So I set out to do one thing for myself every day: to honor and nourish myself by writing a self-care note. A positive affirmation. A note of care to encourage myself no matter what that day would bring. It would only take 5 minutes tops. Just one little note – and I’d post it on Instagram for accountability. My intention was to write them for 15 days, and here I am, almost 7 years later, still writing those notes, not just for me, but for hundreds of thousands of others around the world.

Because the more notes I shared, the more comments, DMs, and emails I received from people I’d never met. Sharing their whole life stories, their hurts, their struggles with mental health, their personal traumas, and the paralyzing guilt that came with attempting to prioritize themselves and practicing self-care. There was a common thread woven throughout each story: we are all human, we all struggle, and we could all use a little bit of help and genuine compassion. We all want to know that someone cares. And that is how Fleur de Lis Speaks was born.

In telling my story, in sharing transparently with the world, I’ve discovered that my personal healing has led to the collective healing of so many. I turned my pain into purpose and I wanted more than anything to help others see that they have everything they need inside of them to do the same. I wanted to reach as many people as possible with the idea that caring and compassion can help bring light to even the darkest spaces and seasons of our lives. Having the courage to pursue my personal healing created a platform for mental health and wellness that I never dreamed possible.

Tell our readers more about your new book, Shine Bright Anyway.

Shine Bright Anyway is a true work of my heart. I poured my everything into that book. I wrote it with the intention of letting my readers know, “You are enough!” It’s a beautiful daily reader meant to help you acknowledge your wounds, embrace healing, and shine bright again with 90 insightful and uplifting messages and affirmations.

The expectations we feel from others on a daily basis can make us feel that we are not enough. That we should want more, do more, and be more. And from personal experience while recovering from a concussion and a traumatic brain injury, I know what it feels like to be in a place of heartache, pain, and debilitating self-doubt. To this day, those feelings still come up for me, they slow me down, and some days they leave me feeling emotionally vulnerable and overwhelmed.

But despite the challenges I face, everyday I choose gratitude, love, and perseverance. And that’s what Shine Bright Anyway is all about. Empowering others to do the same. In my gorgeous, full-color book, each handwritten note is paired with a longer message of encouragement to help my readers:

Overcome the wounds of the past through honesty and humbleness
Replace feelings of inadequacy with the truth of your worthiness
Prioritize self-care even when life is demanding
Celebrate each day with gratitude and appreciation
Believe in yourself when others say you can’t or that you don’t matter

If life has left you feeling you are not enough or you are haunted by past choices, circumstances, or labels, Shine Bright Anyway will give you the encouragement to change your narrative. The expectations you live with today do not have to define you. You are enough!

What advice would you give to women struggling to prioritize their peace, boundaries, and emotional well-being in today’s hustle culture world?

You’re not alone,

We’re all struggling with something,

Everyone else doesn’t have it all together either,

It’s okay to feel like you’re not okay sometimes,

Be intentional about finding bits of joy where you can in your daily life.

Let’s start with admitting. Admitting that the jig is up. That we’re overworked, overwhelmed, and over-committed. That we use our productivity as a measure of our overall worth. That we’re addicted to performing, not only for others, but also for ourselves. That taking a step back and slowing down feels scary to us because it means we have to spend time with the messy parts of ourselves.

And then maybe we can move on to GRACE. Extending grace to ourselves and others. Allowing ourselves to be less than perfect. Less than “on point” all the time. Acknowledging that no amount of pressure we place on ourselves can make us superhuman or extend our capacity to produce when our minds, bodies, and souls are empty. Allowing ourselves to rest in the truth that we do not have to run ourselves into the ground to prove that we are committed to our families, our jobs, or the larger world around us. That our “best” is not what we’ve given once we find ourselves depleted and burnt out. But our best is what we’re able to give and still maintain an acceptable standard of care and concern for ourselves.

Then and only then are we able to give from our overflow, rather than our deficit. Then and only then, are we able to show up in the world as our truest, most authentic selves.

How has your personal journey influenced your professional approach to counseling?

I’ve always been the “helper” friend. The one people can count on to hold space for them and their deepest, darkest secrets, feelings, and thoughts. I realized during undergrad that this was my gift and my purpose in life: to show up for others and walk beside them during their journey toward wholeness and healing. My goal is to challenge the toxic “hustle mindset” and culture of lack-of-boundaries for the modern woman so that they can live peaceful lives. To offer advice, support, compassion, and empathy within my content so they can feel capable of advocating for themselves, their truths, and what they need.

I’ve learned throughout my personal journey that authenticity and transparency are non-negotiables. When you are open and honest with people, they feel they can trust you. As a mental health professional, that is at the forefront of what I do. I’m building rapport with my clients. It takes courage and resilience to share your personal life with a complete stranger. It’s my job to make them feel as comfortable as possible. To let them know that who they are is okay and more than enough.

What role do you believe community plays in challenging and changing the toxic ‘hustle mindset’ and promoting a culture of well-being?

The community has to rally against the pervasive “hustle culture.” As a whole, we have to work diligently to change that narrative. The one that tells us that rest is laziness and we can rest when we die. That’s silly. Stress and lack of rest is killing us at an alarming rate. As a community, we must stand together and support one another in doing what is best for each of us.

We must allow ourselves to feel and acknowledge when we’re getting close to our limit. To stop silencing the inner voice that tells us not to add that extra appointment to our calendar. Don’t send that additional email. You don’t really need to make that phone call today. Or attend that social event this weekend. The key to fighting burnout, dear friends, is LESS.

What role, if any, does community play in your own healing journey?

My healing journey required that I become relentlessly intentional about what my community looks like. I had to reevaluate a lot of my relationships and determine whether I could continue allowing them to take up space in my life. I accepted that my bandwidth and energy was limited; I’m not the same person I was before the accident. My new normal is full of daily challenges and personal adjustments. That’s my unfiltered truth and I must honor it. So the people I surround myself with, my “community,” has to be made up of people who understand and respect that. People who know I won’t be able to make it to every event or attend every party or answer every phone call or text the same day, no matter how much I may want to. My people are willing to extend the same grace and empathy to me that I offer to them, without judgment.