Frida Kahlo’s Story: Turning Pain Into Purpose (How to Shift a Negative Mindset)

How can you turn pain into purpose and shift a negative mindset into growth?

In this episode of Brave Moves, Julie DeLucca-Collins shares the powerful story of Frida Kahlo and how she transformed deep physical and emotional pain into meaningful art and legacy.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or trapped in negative thinking, this episode will help you understand how your mindset shapes your life—and how you can begin to create something meaningful right where you are.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

•  The story of Frida Kahlo and how she turned pain into purpose 
•  Why a negative mindset keeps you stuck 
•  How your thoughts influence your growth and confidence 
•  The difference between processing pain and staying stuck in it 
•  How to begin moving forward, even in difficult circumstances 

Key Takeaway

You can’t always control what happens to you…but you can choose what you create from it.

This Episode Is For You If:

•  You feel stuck in negative thinking 
•  You’re navigating a difficult season in life 
•  You want to grow but feel held back by your circumstances 
•  You need encouragement to keep moving forward

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

What if the hardest thing you've ever gone through isn't the thing that broke you, but the thing that could shape you? And today I want to tell you a story. Not a perfect story, not a polished story, but a real story. And before we dive in, if this episode, my friend, speaks to you, share it with someone who might need it. Subscribe and leave a review. That really helps the show to continue to impact the lives of individuals who are looking for the type of inspiration, motivation, and support to live bravely and to go confidently in the direction of your dreams. And my friend, our conversations are the things that help us grow. So let's create this conversations. Now stay with me because I'm going to connect this story to something we all struggle with and the thoughts we keep repeating in our minds and how these thoughts shape the life that we create. I was speaking to a client today, and her uh work has led her in so many different directions, but it reminded me, she wrote a post on LinkedIn and it reminded me of my favorite artist. And I want to tell you the story of my favorite artist, Frida Kahlo. And when you think of Frida Kahlo, you might picture really bold colors and the flowers and her hair, and of course the unibrow and the self-portraits that feel like they're staring right into your soul. But that's not where her story starts. At 18 years old, Frida was in a devastating accident and a bus accident, a tram, a collision that changed her life forever. Uh, without going into very graphic, uh graphic descriptions, basically one of the poles kind of pierced her. Um, and you can go and read about it, but her body was shattered, her spine was broken, her pelvis fractured. And listen, my mom broke her pelvis in seven spots. And it was horrific to see the type of pain that she was in. And that multiple injuries that she suffered really left her in constant pain. And she spent months, months in bed, unable to move, unable to live the life she thought she would. And she was a young girl, 17, 18, I think. And here's the part that gets me every single time. Her mother installed a mirror above her bed so she could see herself. And that's where everything began for Frida. She started painting, not because she felt inspired, but because, and not because she had a grand vision, actually, but because she had nothing else to do and everything to process. Now, paint didn't stop her, it shaped her. And, you know, the the pain really is the thing that you can see throughout her life was a constant. But she didn't wait to feel better, to start doing great things, to live her life. She didn't wait for life to go back to normal. She created from where she was, from that bed with the mirror over herhead, and in pain, in uncertainty, and in limitation in her art, it wasn't pretty in the traditional sense. It was raw, it's emotional and it's honest. And she painted when that became her pain, her identity, her struggles, her truth, everything that she was going through was always depicted in her art. And you can see a lot of that. If you're not familiar with Frida, I encourage you to go check her out. And that's what makes her unforgettable, that her paintings are raw and they're a depiction of where she was in that moment in type throughout her life. Now, here's where I want to bring this back to you because here's the truth. We don't always want to face this, but it's really crucial to look at it. A negative mind cannot create a positive life. And I don't mean just think happy thoughts. It's not about that. You know, I love to be able to look at things from a way that make you go, hmm. And this is what I mean. The story you keep telling yourself, my friend, matters. Because when you say in your thoughts, like, why does this always happen to me? I'm stuck. I can't move forward. This shouldn't be happening. You stay anchored in the pain, not the possibility. Now, Frida had every reason to stay there. To be, let's be real. Frida had every, every bad thing happen. And she could have said, My life is over. And honestly, no one would have blamed her. But instead, she chose to express over suppress. She started creation over-resignation, and not because it was easy, but because it was available to her. And you may not choose your circumstances, none of us do, but you do have influence over your response. And I know this is where it gets really uncomfortable because sometimes that's what we go through is unfair, painful, deeply personal. I know that there's some of you listening, like me, that may be in a season of life that you just think, how did I get here? Why is this happening? And I don't want to minimize anything that you're going through, not even a little. But I am asking you, what are you doing with it? What are you doing with what you're going through? Your mind is either the fuel or the friction. And your thoughts can either keep you stuck in the moment or really help you create something from it. And that doesn't mean toxic positivity, because um, I want you to choose a perspective that allows movement. Frida never denied her pain. She painted it, she gave it somewhere to go. And here's your brave move for today, my friend. Ask yourself, what can I create from where I am right now? Not when things are perfect, not when you feel better, but right now. Maybe it's a conversation, maybe a journal entry, maybe a step in your business, a boundary, or a new way of thinking. You don't need to do things differently so that life can begin. You need a different relationship with where you are. And my friend, Frida Kahlo didn't become powerful because life was easy. She became powerful because she chose to create something meaningful from something painful. And you, you don't need to wait for life to look different. You can begin exactly where you are today. And of course, if this season is where you feel heavy, uncertain, and just not what you have imagined for yourself. Come join the community, the confident you community is a supportive community where we do life together and we support one another and cheer each other on. And all the information is in the show notes. And remember, this is the type of community where women process, grow, and take action because my friend action uh is the traction, right? And you don't have to do it alone. You don't have to ignore the pain, but you also don't have to stay where there is pain. And that's your brave move for today. Thank you so much for tuning in, my friend. And remember, I love you so much. And go check out Frida Kahlo.