The Cost of Being The Strong One
Susanne explores the habits and patterns that made her 'the strong one' in her marriages.
In this episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares her experiences with family, marriage, and the expectations placed on her as a strong, capable woman. Through her story, she explores the cost of being 'the strong one,' and the importance of recognizing when to ask for help and prioritize self-care.
Susanne shares the story behind the drive: a career she genuinely loved, chasing security and the freedom of knowing she'd never again have to depend on anyone.
At 20, she fell for a charming man with a big, warm Italian family and married him pregnant at 21, in front of 450 guests, while her gut quietly screamed at her to slow down.
When the drinking and unpredictability didn't stop, she left at 24 with her daughter. Her second marriage lasted 18 years. She was the organizer, the planner, the one who remembered every birthday and hosted every holiday. At work she had her sparkle; at home she got quieter, smaller, and eventually afraid to tell her own husband about a promotion she'd worked years for.
Then came a panic attack on the side of a road and her body finally saying enough. This episode is about the difference between being able to handle something and being responsible for carrying it. If people call you strong, Susanne has a question for you: What happens when the person who always said yes, finally learns to say no?