The Power of One: How a Single Conversation Changed My Life

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, both emotionally and physically. I’ve had moments of deep reflection, crying, and processing things that triggered old memories and emotions. This time has been challenging, but also healing, as I reflect on my faith, my journey, and the system that failed me and so many others like me.

One of the moments that really hit me hard was during an episode of a TV show. A military team member was trying to get diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but the medical system kept brushing him off, prescribing medication after medication, all without giving him the MRI he needed. As I watched his struggles, I was transported back to my own battles, fighting for a diagnosis and being bounced around from doctor to doctor, each prescribing more medications that weren’t making me better—just keeping me stuck. It was overwhelming to relive that time when I was at my lowest point, even contemplating suicide. The episode showed the raw truth of how many survivors, military veterans, and trauma victims get lost in a system more concerned with profit than people.

I remember the moment when everything changed for me, when a single conversation saved my life. I had gone to a Family Justice Center conference in Wisconsin—a trip I shouldn’t have been able to afford at the time, but one I felt compelled to take. That’s where I met Jim Henderson, who introduced me to Dr. Bill Smock. Dr. Smock called my primary care physician and insisted on further testing, and it was that MRI that finally led to the diagnosis that changed everything. Without that intervention, I don’t know where I’d be today. It’s what I call the “power of one”—one conversation, one person, one act of belief and advocacy can change someone’s life.

It’s moments like this that remind me why I’m here, sharing my story, recording these podcasts, and writing this blog. There are so many people who feel unseen, unheard, and misunderstood by a medical system that’s broken and by a world that often feels indifferent. Whether you’re a survivor of domestic violence, a veteran dealing with a TBI, or someone struggling with undiagnosed conditions, you are not alone. I see you. I was you. And I’m fighting not just for myself, but for all of us.

I’ve been blessed to meet people like Jim and Dr. Smock, people who believed in me when I was drowning in doubt. These meetings weren’t coincidences. They were acts of divine intervention that shifted my entire trajectory. And that’s why I feel so strongly about sharing my journey in Courageous Conversations and my podcast. There’s power in our stories, and there’s power in connecting, even if it’s just one person at a time.

We need systemic change, no doubt about it. But while we fight for that, I also believe that each of us has the power to be that one person in someone else’s life. A simple “hello,” a compassionate conversation, or just listening—these acts have the potential to change lives.

I want to leave you with this: Don’t underestimate the power of one. You never know what your kindness, your words, or your actions could mean to someone else. You might be the Jim or the Dr. Smock in their life—the person who shifts their story from hopelessness to healing.

I’m grateful for those who’ve been that for me, and I hope I can continue to be that for others. Thank you for being here and reading this. Let’s keep showing up for each other, one person at a time.

With love and gratitude,
Paula Walters