“We can’t change anyone but ourselves”
“I’m a woman who has faced and moved beyond a lot of challenges in my life” that’s how Di Riddell describes herself.
She had a violent, alcoholic father who told her she was stupid, useless and worthless…basically a waste of space. By the time she was a teenager, she had no self-confidence, self-respect, self-worth, or self-esteem.
That’s when things took a turn for the worse. Di was gang-raped and the men who did it threatened her life if she ever told anyone. She kept that secret for 43 years.
The result of her rape was a pregnancy and an adoption. From there, the only option she was given was to train as a nurse and that’s when she met her husband of 31 years.
He passed away in 2002 and Di says that her life as she knew it, was over.
She was diagnosed with depression.
Then one day, a visit to a doctor shifted something in Di that changed her life. That doctor asked her “Don’t your matter?”
Since then she’s written a book, Beyond Abuse, about her experience and how she moved on, she’s a professional speaker and helps women beyond 50 find and feel confident again.
Di’s is an incredible story of forgiveness, gratitude, taking responsibility and more importantly, by telling her story she is giving permission to others to come forward and break the silence.
In this episode Di shares:

* Why she believes being called a victim disempowers people
* Why your past doesn’t define you but instead teaches you to move beyond it without shame
* That no matter what your age you are entitled to feel worthy, loved and respected

Find out more about Di and Confidence Beyond 50 and follow her on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/ConfidenceBeyond50/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dimr47/
Words of Wisdom
Know that you’re OK, that you’re worthy of love and that starts with self-love.
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Think about confidence and use it as a compass. Confidence isn’t static, it’s a living, breathing energy.
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Be sure to listen to the part where Di talks about the Confidence Tree the 27:27 minute mark.

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