A Journey of Self-Discovery: Embracing Unapologetic Authenticity

“Trust yourself and believe that you are exactly who you are supposed to be so you can live your best life,” Kelli Naylor, Marketing Manager at RS Americas, spoke to myGwork about her coming out story, and how being in the closet took a toll on her mental health. She also described her courageous experience of coming out later in life, and how her family and friends responded to her true self.

Hi, my name is Kelli Naylor.  I came out in my mid-40s with two young children after being married to a man for 17 years. My childhood was spent in a conservative family surrounded by very conservative friends, so just a curiosity about my sexuality was quickly buried. It was buried so deep that I spent most of my teens, twenties, and thirties in heterosexual Lalaland with an occasional resurfacing of questions about my authentic self which were quickly buried, even deeper than before.

Inevitably, the pressure cooker I subjected myself to exploded after years of depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior. I then spent the following years hating myself, deathly afraid of hurting those I loved the most and losing everything I had built with my family. I will never forget the hurt and devastation on my husband's and my kids’ faces but now I can see the greatness that came from coming out.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some hard days, especially with my daughter, but we all worked through them together, as a family; our family just looked different than before. I found that everything that I had told myself about those in my close circle was incorrect. My ex-husband, and still one of my best friends, has been one of my biggest supporters. My friends and family accepted me from day one even those who maybe didn’t understand. My daughter, who struggled the most, even told me in the past year that we are all (ex-husband, kids, and me) happier and that she was proud of me for making the hard choice.

Brene Brown said, “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of OUR light.” Trust yourself and believe that you are exactly who you are supposed to be so you can live your best life! Those surrounding you will either get on board or won’t; either way, I promise, you WILL be happier and much more fulfilled and will be SO HAPPY and PROUD that you are finally living your truth.