Living with childhood trauma is like carrying an invisible burden that affects every aspect of your life. It is the shadow from the past that follows you in the present like a relentless companion, haunting you with painful memories. It shatters your self-esteem and emotional well-being to the point you cannot focus on your relationships or your life goals. 

Overcoming childhood trauma is a painful journey that demands courage and a resilient mindset. But on the other side, it also gives you a chance to rewrite your story. “Broken Shackles” by Bill Herndon is one such book that takes you through his journey of defeating trauma and leading a successful life. 

Let’s uncover how Bill Herndon replaced his feelings of despair with hope and strength.

Avoiding the Blame Game

The first thing you will find from Bill Herndon’s journey of breaking free from trauma is the acceptance of your circumstances. According to him, without acknowledging your situation, you cannot embrace positivity. In order to do so, one must accept the reality and avoid the blame game. 

The book preaches that when someone lives through a difficult childhood, he has two choices: either to blame others and oneself for it or to promise to turn their life around. The first choice may push you into a deep hole of self-pity where you start blaming yourself, your parents, or God for your situation. This thinking will never allow you to grow and leave behind your past. 

On the other hand, if you focus on changing things instead of feeling guilty or blaming others, you will find positivity. The thinking of this was my past, and I’ll not allow my future to be like that can make a huge difference. 

Herndon’s journey depicts this mindset as he changed his life despite belonging to a low-income family and living with foster families as a kid. 

Due to this, his parents could not provide him and his siblings with a good childhood. But, instead of blaming his parents, Bill forgave them by acknowledging their circumstances. He believed that their choices were because of their challenging childhood and young adult experiences, and they did not intentionally make those decisions. 

Never Accepting Status Quo

The book “Broken Shackles” also preaches the idea of the non-acceptance of the status quo. It explores Herndon’s life experiences and how he strived to change the things around him throughout his life. Even after making a name for himself in the media industry, he took several other roles to learn new things and expand his capabilities. 

The book shares that Herndon has a unique theory about life, where reinvention is the central part of it. The story shares that he changed himself throughout different phases of life. He has set a goal for himself to reinvent himself every five years. This allowed him to work as an actor, director, songwriter, entrepreneur, and much more in life. 

The non-stagnant approach allowed him to break free from the loop of poverty. Then, gradually, he kept on taking risks to transition from one role to another. It allowed him to move forward in life and leave behind all the painful memories of his childhood.

Finding Purpose in Life

Another important message that the book gives is finding a purpose in life that drives positive thinking. Without a purpose, you will go astray and will not be able to channel your time and energy in the right direction. It gives you a goal with which you live, and every decision in your life is a reflection of that one goal.  

According to the book, the thing that helped the author in transforming his life was his will to improve his and his siblings’ lives. From a very early age, he started to act in plays to earn some money, and from there, he continued to make his name in the media industry. 

However, the book also explores how one can find a purpose in life. It shares that it is only possible through introspection and knowing yourself. Without understanding oneself, a person cannot actually know what he needs to do in life. So, if you are looking for inspiration, first look within yourself, and you will find all your answers. 

About the Author

Bill Herndon is a known name in the entertainment and media industry, renowned for his work as a producer and director. His journey in the entertainment world has spanned over 18 years as an award-winning content creator. He has worked with Atlantic Records, Warner Music Group, VH1, and Big Fish Productions and won awards for the docu-series; “Sisters of the Game,” “America’s Next Big Franchise,” and the films “Life to Live,” and “Count Down.” Creating compelling and commercially viable content is his forte, but his work in the social media space goes beyond that. Herndon has also contributed significantly to talent development by working with creators to create authentic niche content for today’s ever-changing social media landscape.

Bill also entered the entrepreneurial sphere with several projects, Neon Lion Productions and SFI Enterprises. Besides, he also continues to do development work with actors, music artists and musicians. Now, Bill Herndon is beginning his journey as a writer with his book “Broken Shackles.” It shares his own journey and how he made a name for himself in the entertainment world. It will be the first book in a series of three, and the other two parts will cover more life lessons from his life story. 

Final Thoughts

“Broken Shackles” is the first book from the series of three, that talks about the struggles of a traumatic childhood and how one can deal with it. By sharing Bill Herndon’s own story, the book emphasizes that no matter where you come from, you can always work on yourself and transform your life. The book describes the author’s life events in such a moving way that it motivates you to take action. It is an inspiring read for people of all ages who have seen hardships in their lives.