When Silence Feels Like Failure
I almost didn’t send this.
The cursor blinked for days, accusing, then inviting. Inviting me back to release, to speak, even through this form of expression. It’s been two months since our last newsletter, and honestly? I felt like a fluke. A part of me wondered if I still had the right to show up here in your inbox or on this blog. I felt as if I’d somehow failed by disappearing in November and December. Grief has a way of silencing even the loudest callings, and shame likes to whisper: “You’re inconsistent. You disappeared. You failed.”
But then I remembered what I often remind others: Healing doesn’t demand perfection. But, it asks us to return, again and again, to the work of becoming. I’ll say that again - Healing isn’t about perfect consistency. It’s about honest showing up.
So here I am. Still showing up. A little behind, but, still standing.
When Grief Becomes Your November
In November, my cousin passed away unexpectedly.
At the time, I was tunnel-focused on the soft launch of Journey 2 Free locally, a vision I’d held quietly in prayer and wrestled with for months. For years, our nonprofit served girls and young women primarily in Jamaica. But I felt God tugging, gently and firmly, toward a broader call. A deeper reach. A local expansion.
And so, with limited resources and unwavering faith, we stepped forward. We hosted a quiet gathering, small, imperfect, but communal. And the response? Overwhelming.
Many of you asked, “Can we do this monthly?”
That question stirred something deep. But before I could answer it with my full self, December came. December was both heavy and heavenly.
December took me to Jamaica for my cousin’s funeral, which was a reality check. That reality check? It came in the form of seeing how urgent this work truly is.
While in Jamaica for the funeral, we hosted an intimate chill-and-chat check-in with Journey 2 Free girls, past and present. Some are now young afults, navigating trauma while trying to adult. All of them, still searching, still healing, still hungry for a safe space to land. It was the circle we didn’t know we needed, the kind of gathering where tears and truth flowed freely.
That circle? It felt like breathe and ache. We cried, we shared, we remembered that healing isn’t linear, it loops, it lingers, and it loves and leaves in layers.
What I took from that space was this: There is an urgency for togetherness. I was reminded - their is safety, protection and freedom in unburdening the soul through speaking out loud what's held, carried, trapped within.
Both the soft launch in November and the check-in in December reminded me of the necessity of this work. The questions still sit with me. Because yes - we need more spaces like this. Spaces where we can show up messy, hurting, healing, and be received without performance. We don’t just need one-off events. We need consistent circles. Safe spaces. Monthly rooms where the masks can fall and the truth can rise.
And then came January…
January: The Year Starts with Another Funeral
I didn’t expect: January would start exactly where December ended. At another funeral. My neighbor of over 20 years passed suddenly, a vibrant light snuffed out too soon.
We were supposed to begin aquatics therapy together this month.
Yesterday, I sat in the pews at her homegoing service and felt the compounded grief of two back-to-back losses. The kind of grief that makes you reevaluate everything, your pace, your calling, your delay, your “somedays.” Just like I did at my cousin's funeral, I listened to memories shared, the kind, funny and most impactful moments, that shifted, saved, enhanced and altered lives; I reflected on legacy, the fragility of life, the urgency of purpose, the reality that tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. I thought about all the people still waiting to heal, still waiting to speak, still waiting for permission to live fully.
And in that moment of raw reflection, I heard something deep in my spirit: We don’t have time to wait.
We don’t have time to wait.
Life Keeps Life-ing… And Still, We Rise
Some days, the weight of it all feels like too much: parenting, grief, advocacy, chronic illness, single motherhood, purpose chasing, healing from trauma while holding space for others doing the same.
In the quiet between funerals and healing circles, I’ve been listening deeply. And here’s the truth I’ve come to accept:
Life keeps life-ing and will continue to life.
Grief arrives uninvited.
Responsibilities don’t pause, they pile up.
Transitions happen whether we’re ready or not.
The world doesn’t stop spinning because you’re overwhelmed.
And still… we rise.
Still, we heal.
Still, we show up.
Still, we Journey 2 Free.
Not because we have it all figured out, but because we refuse to let pain have the final say.
What’s Coming: Because the Work Doesn’t Stop
Even through the silence, the work has been whispering to me.
🎙️ Awakened 2 Purpose Podcast - Launching Mid-February
After years of preparation, the Awakened 2 Purpose podcast will launch this February. The podcast I’ve been talking about? It’s finally happening. In mid-February, we launch Awakened 2 Purpose - a sacred space for survivors, soul-searchers, truth-tellers, chronic illness warriors and purpose-driven disruptors. A space where we speak what was once unspeakable, reassign shame, shift mindsets, change narratives, create new norms ,reclaim our voices and walk boldly into healing.
This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a movement.
After attending two funerals back to back, I’m more convinced than ever: Our stories can’t wait. Our healing cannnot stay paused and purpose’s call will no longer be delayed, it can’t wait.
Follow @Journey2Free for trailers, behind-the-scenes, and launch updates.
Monthly Healing Circles - You Asked, We’re Answering
The soft launch in November and the check-in in December showed me something powerful: you’re hungry for community. For real, raw, safe spaces to heal and be held together.
You asked. We’re answering.
We’ll be hosting monthly healing circles both locally and virtually for women who are healing, mothering, breaking cycles, and showing up anyway.
If you’re interested in participating or helping facilitate, reach out. This is for us, and by us.
A Word for Your January Heart
Maybe you’re still recovering from the emotional hangover of the holidays.
Maybe January didn’t start with fireworks, but with funerals.
Maybe you feel behind, broken, or unsure of what’s next.
Maybe you’re reading this and you’re still mapping out your year, like I am.
Maybe you’re grieving. Or feeling stuck. Or wondering if you missed your moment.
Hear me with your whole heart:
You’re not behind. You’re becoming.
Your healing isn’t delayed. Your calling has NOT expired.
Even if your story cracked open again this month, it’s still being written by a faithful God.
We don’t need perfect.
We need presence.
And we need people willing to say, “I’m still here.”
Standing at the intersection of grief and purpose, remembering that every day we’re given is a gift. And what we do with it matters.
Let’s make 2026 the year we stop waiting for perfect timing and start walking in the freedom that’s already ours.
From One Survivor to Another
This space isn’t just for updates, it’s a reminder that you are not alone. If you’re still standing, even after the silence, even after the slip-ups, even after the grief, you’re doing better than you think.
Let’s walk 2026 out in faith, freedom, and fierce honesty.
With you on the journey,
Larissa Rhone
Founder | Journey 2 Free
Survivor ~ Warrior ~ Defiant Disruptor ~ Friend
From my heart to yours - join me as I/We Journey 2 Free.
P.S.
What pattern are you ready to disrupt this year? Drop it in the comments or reply. Let’s believe for breakthrough together.
I’m believing with you for breakthrough. Bl
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