Welcome to UnbreakaBELLE

Welcome to UnbreakaBELLE! My name is Constance Dionne, and I am a goofball infused with sophisti-ratchet (my musical selection ranges from Bach to Cardi B and everything in between). My son and I are dancing champions, and my husband tolerates my antics.

I’ve also been through some pretty tough situations in life and have learned how to turn a No into a Yes, be unafraid of change, and live life as my own fearless advocate. Growing up in south Atlanta, I learned quickly that no one was going to give me the life I wanted; I had to create it for myself. I didn’t fit in any box, so I created my own.  And through it all, I enjoy the heck out of life.  There are so many reasons to be thankful, even if, at times, it appears you have the short end of the stick. You just need to readjust your grip.

I created UnbreakaBELLE to represent the many facets of being a woman. The world has expectations of us. We have expectations of ourselves. And then there is the life that molds us into UnbreakaBELLE women. We are strong (emotionally and physically), delicate, yet tough, and resilient creatures.

Why me? Why do I want to share and inspire? Why am I qualified to do so? I know that sharing, inspiring, and helping others are core purposes of my life. I know my pain and challenges are a window into my purpose. No pity needed because baby I have LIVED and will continue to do so. It is living that has built me into this UnbreakaBELLE force. I do not see challenges and limits; I only see opportunities and alternative routes. Let me say it again, I only see opportunities and alternative routes. The only path I have ever wanted to travel along is the path I designed for myself, even if others saw a brick wall at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes there was a brick wall, but let me tell you, I hit the brick wall with all of my might….and I’m still standing (don’t ask me about the wall).

There is nothing in life that you can’t conquer. Nothing! People will constantly tell you No, doors and windows will close, and leaves will cover the paths. However, adversity is a part of life. How can you honor the light in yourself and the pull at your gut, if you let external forces stop you? My mom always told me to figure it out, and honestly, I like to do what I want to do - and as a little Black girl growing up in the south Atlanta, more often than not, to do what I wanted to do required a little creativity. I don’t give up, I get creative.

When my law article was rejected, I decided to submit the article to a higher ranked journal. When I was told to think about terminating my pregnancy, I decided to fight for his life. When no one understands how I smile in the midst of adversity, I laugh and smile harder. When I was told that I was not smart enough, I told the person to get on board or to get out of my way. When I lost a job, I embraced the freedom. Career advancement (and setbacks), a medically fragile child, self-care, toxic relationships, good relationships, patient advocacy, family, mental health, love, gangsta rap, spirituality and so much more have impacted my life and served as catalysts for growth and revelations. I have seen the impact of storytelling and sharing in various circumstances, from me sharing in my day to day life to me on a stage delivering a speech or presentation to hundreds of people. Storytelling is a powerful tool.

Through my journeys, I have developed perspectives and tools, both of which have helped me realize that I am UnbreakaBELLE. UnbreakaBELLE does not mean that I am not impacted by adversity. UnbreakaBELLE means that I am not defeated. UnbreakaBELLE means that I can withstand anything and come out the other side, better than before. Most importantly, I realized that we are all UnbreakBELLE. We can all unlock those superpowers.

Looking forward to enlightening discussions and random ridiculousness. After all, life is about balance.

~Constance Dionne