Finding Your Badass When Life Knocks You Down

Divas That Care Network

What happens when a woman decides to break free from generations of trauma and addiction? Bonnie Johnstone's transformation story isn't just inspiring—it's revolutionary.
Once living in shame and addiction starting at age 14, Bonnie faced an impossible choice after her parents separated due to her stepfather's sexual abuse. The path she chose led her through alcoholism, running away to join a carnival, and years of self-destructive behavior. "I never slept at night," she reveals, "I always slept during the day when people were awake."
Everything changed in August 2016 when her brother-in-law's overdose forced her to confront her own mortality. With remarkable clarity, Bonnie made a decision: "I'm done living wastefully." This wasn't just about getting sober—it meant confronting the abuse, cutting ties with her parents, and beginning the painful work of healing.
The results have been transformative. "I used to be just waiting for every day to end. Now I'm like the day can't end yet, I have so much to do," Bonnie shares with infectious enthusiasm. She's become an international bestselling co-author and speaker, developed workshops for trauma survivors, and most importantly, broken the cycle of intergenerational trauma that has plagued her Indigenous family for generations.
What makes Bonnie's story unique is her distinction between negative self-focus and positive self-care. "When it became about me, I was able to become a better friend, a better mother, a better everything to everybody else." This philosophy has allowed her to not just heal herself but to create ripples of healing that extend to her children and beyond.
For anyone feeling trapped by their circumstances, Bonnie offers this wisdom: "You always have choices... When you actually get to your why and start putting the how into effect, it just becomes second nature, because courage is contagious."
Ready to transform your own story? Listen now to discover how one woman's decision to heal is changing lives that haven't even been born yet.

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Chapters

1. Welcome Bonnie the Badass (00:00:00)

2. Escaping Through Addiction (00:03:36)

3. Breaking Free from Family Trauma (00:06:45)

4. Finding Worth and Ending Cycles (00:11:42)

5. Communication and Self-Discovery (00:15:39)

6. Workshops, Books and Future Vision (00:19:05)

7. Closing Thoughts and Challenges (00:22:22)