In this episode I am joined by Ruby Dickulous, a realtor, developer, stand up performer, drag artist, and regular guest on Jeff Lewis Live who was featured on HGTV as America’s first drag queen realtor in the special The Queen of House Hunting in Austin, Texas. Ruby and I discuss what it was like to grow up gay in Texas, the painful messages she absorbed as a kid, and how a cross-dressing step grandfather and the fear of the AIDS era left her hiding parts of herself for decades. She explains why she created Ruby as a persona, why she was afraid to let clients see that side of her, and how shame, addiction, and alcohol slowly took over. Ruby does not hold back about the years she spent drinking, leading to dropping out of school, working just to survive, and hitting rock bottom during the pandemic. She shared what finally made her get sober, the moment she asked herself what she was doing with her life, and how therapy, faith, and community gave her a way back. We talk about the long road of recovery, the small signs that kept her going, and the courage it takes to keep showing up when the voice in your head is telling you to quit. Her journey is also one of creativity and resilience. Ruby turned a joke about “drag in real estate” into a groundbreaking career that challenged stereotypes and inspired copycats across the country. She went from being told she could never be taken seriously to proving that she could sell homes in heels and build trust with clients who loved her for her authenticity. Along the way she learned to set boundaries, to stop hiding, and to believe in her own worth. To learn more about Ruby you can visit her site: https://www.rubydickulous.com/ Get 15% off OneSkin with the code JUDGING at https://www.oneskin.co/   This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #resilience #traumahealing #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #podcasts #oneskinpod #RubyDickulous #MentalHealthAwareness #PTSDRecovery #LGBTQVoices #DragRealtor #SobrietyStory #AuthenticSelf #ResilientLiving #RecoveryJourney #SuicideAwareness #SelfLoveJourney #OvercomingRejection #HealingTogether #JeffLewis #CreativityHeals #AddictionRecovery #LivingAuthentically #TrailblazerStory #HopeInDarkness #YourStoryMatters #LifeReclaimed #CommunityAndConnection #CourageToHeal #BreakingShame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices