The book I didn't want to author, because that meant breaking a vow of silence.

There are books written to share ideas, to inspire, or to teach. Escape Artist was none of those. I wrote it because something inside me demanded to be told. For years, I lived what many would call a “functional” life. I worked, I showed up, and I kept moving forward. From the outside, everything seemed normal. But beneath the surface, I carried invisible burdens—trauma, confusion, and beliefs about myself that quietly shaped my world.

Trauma doesn’t always leave visible scars. Sometimes it rewires your thoughts. Sometimes it changes what you believe you deserve. Sometimes it builds invisible walls around your heart, walls you learn to live inside without even realizing it.

Living Behind Invisible Walls

For a long time, I didn’t see how much of my life was built on coping. Coping can look like strength. It can look like resilience. But coping is not the same as healing. It’s a temporary fix, a way to survive. Eventually, coping can stop working.

I remember days when I felt like I was holding everything together by sheer will. I smiled, I worked, I made plans. But inside, I was exhausted. The weight of unspoken pain pressed down on me, shaping my choices and limiting my happiness.

Writing Escape Artist meant breaking the silence I had kept for so long. It meant facing the parts of my story I had hidden even from myself.

The Cost of Telling The Truth

Writing this book was not a neat or sunshine and rainbows inspirational journey. It was costly. I had to reopen journals I once hoped I would never read again. I revisited memories carefully tucked away so I could function day to day. I sat face to face with the beliefs that had quietly governed my life for years.

Some pages were written through tears. Some chapters came after long pauses where I had to ask myself if I was truly willing to tell the truth - because telling the truth always costs something. However, silence costs more.

The cost was emotional exhaustion, vulnerability, and fear. Fear that people would misunderstand me. Fear that they would judge me. Fear that my honesty about pain might make others uncomfortable. Fear about what those in my community may think.

The Fear of Breaking Silence

There is a certain fear that comes when you decide to stop hiding. It’s the fear of being seen as weak or broken. It’s the fear that your story might change how people see you. It’s the fear that speaking honestly about pain might push others away.

During the writing process, I often wondered if it would be easier to soften the story. To make it cleaner. To leave certain parts unsaid. However, the Lord challenged me to be unapologetically vulnerable. Sometimes the truth is raw and uncomfortable.

Why I Had To Write Escape Artist

I wrote this book because I was commissioned by God to do so. I made a vow that I would keep silent the rest of my life, and just leave all the trauma buried. When I began to discern the calling of God on my life, I had to reconcile with the fact that I could no longer stay silent. I had to turn and face that fear, and break the vow. My calling can be summarized with Isaiah 61:1 (ESV version).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; So, as you can see, silence was no longer an option. The invisible walls I had built were closing in. I needed to break free—not just for myself, but for anyone who feels trapped by their own hidden pain.

Writing Escape Artist was a way to reclaim my story. It was a way to show that healing is possible, even when it feels impossible. It was a way to say that you are not alone, even when you feel isolated by your struggles.

What I hope readers take away

If you carry invisible burdens, if you live behind walls built by trauma or fear, know this: you don’t have to stay there. Healing is not a straight path, and it’s not always comfortable. But it is possible.

Escape Artist is not just my story. It’s a reminder that breaking silence can be the first step toward freedom. It’s a call to face the pain, even when it feels scary. Because silence costs more than truth ever will.

If you are ready to start your own journey, start small. Write your story, speak your truth, or simply acknowledge the pain you carry. Healing begins when you stop hiding. If this resonates with you, the ideas in this article are part of a larger journey I explore in Escape Artist: The Fight for Freedom From Trauma. The book walks through identity, healing, forgiveness, and the process of breaking free from trauma-shaped thinking. The book is now available everywhere books are sold. There is a paperback, ebook, and audiobook (soon) version out there! If you want more:

→ Follow on Instagram @purelycece for real-time insight and unfiltered conversations

→ If you’re ready to do the work, my book Escape Artist: The Fight for Freedom From Trauma will guide you through the process of breaking patterns and stepping into freedom. Order now everywhere books are sold. On Sale TODAY March 31, 2026.

→ If you need to go even deeper, I have written Escape Artist: The Workbook that will guide you through deeper reflections and healing. Available on Amazon NOW. Click here to order.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.