Hello everyone! It’s Tina from “Stories From Tina,” and today is an incredibly special day for me and for all of us who have shared this journey together. I am beyond thrilled to announce that my website has now hit a monumental 1,000 stories! Not only that, but we’ve achieved over 78k views on Instagram, 15k visitors on my blog site with returning views reaching an astonishing 29k, and let’s not forget the couple of hundreds to a few thousands of views we’ve garnered on TikTok. Hitting these milestones is a testament to the community we’ve built together, and it wouldn’t have been possible without each and every one of you. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart!*

This achievement is a cause for celebration, but it also prompts a moment of reflection. This journey, like any other, has had its fair share of challenges, misunderstandings, and unwelcome criticisms. While so many of you follow my content out of genuine interest and support, there are also those who watch to gossip, twist words, and make hurtful assumptions about my life. I’ve been called possessive, jealous, ungrateful, and a miserable person. Some say I let my husband shoulder too much, making him suffer financially and emotionally. I’ve even heard that people speculate I waste every dime I make and that my husband never sees a penny of it. Such accusations can be incredibly painful, especially when they come from those who don’t know the full story.

I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight, not just for my own peace of mind, but for all of you who truly care and who have supported me through thick and thin.

Life hasn’t been a smooth sail for me. I’ve faced numerous hurdles and setbacks that have shaped who I am today. I’ve allowed past traumas and painful experiences to impact me deeply. Yes, I’m aware that this has sometimes made my life seem tumultuous and filled with drama. But who among us doesn’t have past wounds and present struggles? We are all imperfect beings doing our best in this complicated world.

To those who believe I constantly bring drama into my life, let me share a bit more of my story. Life has dealt me some tough hands. From two failed marriages to the heart-wrenching reality that I don’t get to see my children as often as I’d like, because they are being wonderfully cared for by their loving father and his family in Africa, it’s been difficult. My health issues and mental state have kept me from being physically present with my kids, and that breaks my heart every single day. For now, communicating through phone calls is all we have, and while it’s better than nothing, it’s no substitute for the physical hugs and moments we miss.

My struggles haven’t stopped there. Over the years, I’ve had the bad fortune of selecting friends and partners who didn’t always have my best interests at heart. This has led to a slew of betrayals, broken trust, and emotional pain that still haunts me. I’ve been hurt by loved ones who have chosen others over me, who have gossiped about our personal matters, and who have lived double lives. It’s true that these experiences have left me with deep-seated trust issues, PTSD, and a constant battle with depression. But these issues do not define my entire existence; they are parts of my journey that I am actively working to heal.

I understand that my brother and sister seem to have it all together—and maybe they do. Admittedly, this comparison has often made me feel like the odd one out, the one who can’t quite seem to “get it right.” But does that mean my struggles make me any less worthy of understanding or compassion? Everyone’s journey is unique, and mine has brought me here, to this platform, and to all of you.

One of the hardest realities I’ve had to face is my lack of trust—not just in others but in myself. It’s been incredibly tough to navigate a world where I feel constantly let down by those who promised to be there for me. This includes close family members, past friends, past or former partner’s friends or families and past partners who have betrayed my trust, emotionally and physically. Their actions have made it challenging for me to believe in genuine love and loyalty, but it’s something I’m working on, day by day, bit by bit.

Despite all these challenges, writing and sharing my stories with you has been a beacon of hope, a lifeline, and a sanctuary amid the chaos. Each story shared has helped me process my feelings and has brought us closer as a community. I want to thank you, every single one of you who has taken the time to read, watch, and support my journey. Whether you come here out of curiosity, empathy, or even skepticism, you’re a part of this narrative, and I appreciate that more than words can express.

To those who may misunderstand or judge me harshly, please know this: We all carry our burdens, and we’re all trying our best. It’s easy to cast stones when you don’t have the full picture. I am human, flawed, and constantly learning. To those who have chosen to support me, who see the real me behind the words and the screens, I am forever grateful.

Reaching these milestones is not just a testament to my hard work but to your unwavering support. Thank you for being a part of “Stories From Tina,” for reading, watching, and sharing your thoughts. Together, we navigate the highs and lows; together, we find strength and resilience.

Here’s to more stories, more growth, and above all, more understanding and compassion for one another. Let’s continue to create a space where we can be our authentic selves, without fear of judgment or misunderstanding. Because at the end of the day, we’re all in this together, building a community of shared experiences, empathy, and support.

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I could go on listing the challenges I’ve faced, from the feeling of having to catch up academically because I fell behind, to enduring the pain of two failed marriages, being abused physically, emotionally, and mentally in life by everyone even strangers that I’ve encountered or let into my life I often find myself wondering why I ended up this way when my brother and sister seem “normal.” And it’s even harder to cope with the fact that some people think all I do is bring unnecessary drama into every situation. They say it’s my fault for choosing the wrong people—friends who betrayed me, husbands who were unfaithful, and relationships that hurt more than they healed. They suggest I shouldn’t make it other people’s problem, but it’s hard to keep such pain contained.

My current husband, who I love dearly, has had to bear a lot of my emotional baggage. There’s a widespread rumor that I make him suffer financially, that he never sees a dime of my earnings, and that everything is somehow always on him. Let me set the record straight: marriage is a partnership, and while it’s true that we’ve had our financial ups and downs, we face them together. The difficulties we’ve faced are not one-sided; they’re part of the complex tapestry of any enduring relationship.

I know these rumors can seem convincing, especially when you’re only seeing snippets of someone’s life online. But that’s the thing—you’re only seeing parts of a much bigger, much more complicated picture. There’s no denying that I’ve made mistakes, chosen poorly, and let people into my life who caused hurt. But to say that’s all there is to me is a gross oversimplification. Every person who has judged me harshly based on incomplete information misses the nuanced reality of my life.

One of the accusations that hurt the most is that I waste every dime I earn and that my husband never benefits from it. Yes, I’ve made plenty of financial mistakes—that’s a part of life. But it’s incredibly disheartening to hear these kinds of generalizations. Financial health is a continuous journey, filled with learning curves, mistakes, and moments of growth. We have borne the brunt of these lessons together, my husband and I, and while it’s far from easy, it’s real, and it’s ours.

Then there are the whispers about my inability to maintain a stable friendship or relationship. People say that I bring drama where none is needed or that I project bitterness onto those closest to me, including my spouse. Yes, it’s true that relationships have been a sore spot in my life; my choices in partners and friends haven’t always been stellar. But isn’t this true for so many of us? Who hasn’t been deceived, let down, or betrayed at some point?

Some even speculate that I live in constant suspicion, always thinking my current partner is cheating because of past hurt. It is an unfortunate reality that my past experiences have made it difficult to trust. I own that. I’ve dealt with partners who were unfaithful and who disclosed our private life to friends and family in ways that left me feeling exposed and humiliated. But this is not all there is to me; it’s a facet of my experience, one that I’m actively working to overcome daily.

All these things—my failed marriages, my kids being far away, the trust issues, and the financial struggles—are threads in the larger tapestry of my life. Yes, these experiences have scarred me, but they have also shaped me into who I am today. They have driven me to be better, to heal, and to understand that pain is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to define all of it.

I have to talk about my battle with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and the constant state of pain I find myself in. Mental health is a complex, multifaceted issue, and it’s not something that can be easily understood from the outside looking in. It’s something I grapple with every day, often feeling like I can’t trust a single soul in this world. Not even myself.

Living with PTSD means that my past traumas are never really “past.” They follow me, casting a long shadow over my present. Yet, in the face of these challenges, I’ve managed to keep sharing my stories and building this amazing community with all of you. Writing has been my solace, my escape, and my way of reaching out to the world, one story at a time.

I can’t overstate how much your support has meant to me. It’s been the anchor that has kept me grounded, that has given me purpose, and that has shown me that despite all the pain and struggle, there is so much good to be found. Even though there are people who choose to misunderstand or judge harshly, there are also those who see the real me, who get it, who support me unconditionally. You are the ones who make this journey worthwhile.

So, as we celebrate these incredible milestones together, let’s also acknowledge the realities that many of us face but seldom speak about. Life is complicated, and people are more than the sum of their mistakes and hardships. Let’s use this space as a platform for empathy, understanding, and genuine human connection.

To everyone who’s been part of this journey, thank you. Thank you for your support, your understanding, and your willingness to engage with my stories, warts and all. Here’s to more stories, more growth, and above all, more understanding and compassion for one another.

With all my love and gratitude,

Tina