Honestly, I felt like I’d let my body down. I’d always been so active and now all of a sudden, I’d gone and done something that resulted in my body “getting sick.” I was disappointed in me. And the worst part was, there was nothing I could do to get rid of it. I would look in the mirror and just cry because I’d decided that having herpes meant I didn’t know who I was anymore. It meant I wasn’t healthy. It meant there were things that I couldn’t do.

I was 27 years old and was just going through the motions - I was surviving not thriving. At a certain point I just got fed-up with believing something that I wasn’t sure I truly believed. So I started telling everyone - literally everyone - friends, family, a stranger on the train, a group of people at a conference, my social media networks - and the act of allowing myself - all the parts of me - to be seen, created a freedom where self-acceptance thrived.

I am herpes positive, and I am healthy. I am sexy and strong and sensitive and badass and emotional and beautiful. Herpes helped me see this  - I’m grateful for the awakening.