At 50, Ana Cristina Eriksson faced a truth many women silently carry: she had lived a nearly invisible life. Years of emotional silence, acceptance, and self-neglect had dimmed her voice—but not her spirit. With 50 & Free, Ana Cristina turned pain into purpose, reclaiming her identity, strength, and freedom. In her journey, she exposes the subtle yet powerful impact of emotional abuse, shares the resilience born from surviving life’s toughest challenges, and inspires women everywhere to stand up, be seen, and embrace the life they were always meant to live.

“Freedom begins when you honor your journey and define your own worth.”

What made you decide to finally share your story in “50&  Free”?

When I turned 50, I realized that I had lived a nearly invisible life. That was a turning point. I understood that if I continued the way I had been, I would never fully exist. I felt invalidated after so many years of silence, acceptance, and ignoring my own needs.

1) At 50, I looked at my life and saw that, for so long, I had accepted emotional abuse without even realizing it, using humor to make things lighter. But I reached a point where I had to make a choice: either I disappeared completely, or I took control of my life. That’s when the title of my ebook 50 & Free was born.

This journey has not been easy. I experienced sadness, disappointment, and loneliness. But it was also profoundly transformative. I learned that no one will watch over you the way you need; you have to look at yourself, understand your identity, and rediscover who you are.

Writing became a powerful tool in this process. Every time I allowed myself to try something new, I discovered strength, resilience, and capabilities I didn’t even know I had. I also began to understand my own patterns. That’s when I started reading books on psychology and epigenetics—trying to make sense of how our experiences, even the ones inherited across generations, shape who we become.

I explored neuroscience as well, and little by little I realized how all of this connected back to the Bible. This integration helped me reflect more deeply as I wrote my book, and it opened a path for my reader too—showing her how she can discover herself, understand her own story, recognize her patterns, and find meaning in the layers of her journey.

And the most curious part is this: the person who had access to my material is now trying to work in the very same direction—but without authenticity. She simply imitates; she hasn’t lived this path. Authenticity cannot be copied. It’s born from one’s own truth.

I also want to talk about something that affects many women: emotional and psychological abuse. It is subtle, hard to recognize, and incredibly powerful. Manipulation, guilt-tripping, and emotional control leave deep marks. It’s essential to notice when it’s happening, to find the courage to stand up for yourself, and to seek your own freedom—even if it means temporarily losing some things.

This journey has given me awareness, strength, and purpose. Today, I want to share my story to inspire women to recognize themselves, value themselves, and have the courage to live fully. It may sound ambitious, but this is my goal: to help women find their voice and live freely, regardless of the circumstances of their past.

You went through so much at such a young age. What helped you survive those early Years?

I survived those early years by learning to protect myself and finding small ways to preserve my sense of self. I often had to hide my feelings and use humor to lighten the weight of difficult situations. Over time, I realized that I had to take control of my own life, to exist for myself and not just for others. Writing became my refuge and my tool for understanding myself. It gave me strength, resilience, and the courage to face my fears. Looking back, I see that surviving wasn’t just about enduring — it was about learning to grow, to recognize my worth, and to start building the life I deserved.

There were times you felt invisible. When did you start to feel seen again?

I began to feel seen again by myself, because for a long time I couldn’t truly see who I was. The voices from my past made me believe in a character that didn’t exist, shaping who I thought I had to be. It was only by looking at myself alone, with attention and courage, that I could finally recognize who I had always been. I admit this is a daily discovery, but it has become essential to rebuilding my identity and my freedom.”

How did becoming a mother so young shape the woman you are today?

I faced many challenges without the protection that girls my age would normally have. I became a wife at 14 and a mother at 15, and I divorced at 23. Even without fully understanding my own vulnerabilities, I managed to keep going through the pain, building resilience along the way. In a way, my mind learned to normalize those situations as a survival mechanism — and although it may seem contradictory, it gave me the strength to face extremely difficult situations, not only within my family but also in human relationships. At 14, I learned to be strong and cope with my weaknesses, which had already been ignored by the adults who were supposed to protect me, when I was still just a child.

You lost important chapters of your e-book because of someone accessing your accounts. How did that moment affect you?

At first, it was devastating to realize that someone had accessed my accounts and I had lost important chapters of my e-book. It felt like a part of my voice had been stolen. My body literally trembled as I processed how naive I had been, and for a moment, I felt like I wanted to freeze and give up.

But within those tremors, a stronger force reminded me that this is my mission. In just two days, I wrote 30 new pages to preserve my story. My e-book, 50 & Free, is my cry for freedom — not just for me, but for many women. My resilience is strong, and this experience only ignited a fire within me. I will not stop, because my story needs to reach the world.

Why was it important for you to release the pre-release now, even with part of the book missing?

It was important to release the pre-release now because waiting for perfection would have meant silencing my story again. My experiences are valuable, and women need to hear them now — to feel seen, empowered, and understood. Even with part of the book missing, the message and the lessons are already powerful, and I didn’t want anyone to wait any longer to receive them. Sharing my story now is about giving freedom to myself and inspiration to others.

What do you want women to feel when they read your story?

I want the chapters of my e-book 50&Free  to shake women, to the point that they rise up and realize that pain is not a path to continue on, but an important turning point. I want them to understand that through their struggles, they can discover who they truly are, reclaim their strength, and know that they are valuable.

Is there a moment or memory in the book that still touches you deeply today?

Yes, there is a moment that still touches me deeply. It was the birth of my daughter when I was just 15 years old. After nine hours of labor, holding her for the first time, I felt a love so intense that it both overwhelmed and rebuilt me. At that moment, the doctor looked at me and said, ‘Now you are a mother.’ She recognized me as a mother — she didn’t see my age, only my role. That validation meant everything, especially because later, many tried to diminish my motherhood with veiled criticisms, suggesting I was never truly a mother. Remembering that first moment of recognition gives me strength to this day and reminds me that even in the most impossible circumstances, we can find resilience, love, and the courage to face life’s challenges.

What does “freedom” mean to you now, at this stage of your life?

To me, freedom today means looking at myself and knowing who I am, valuing my own truth without depending on the approval or judgment of others. It means not being emotionally controlled — whether by praise or criticism. Many people use compliments to trap us in the ego, or criticism to create insecurity about our true identity. Tomorrow, if I wake up as a global best-seller, I will still know who I am, because my identity is something far more powerful than my position.

Being free is living and relating to people with a deeper perspective, not just on the surface. On the surface, everyone seems fine, but you truly get to know someone during crises. Today, freedom is knowing that my position does not define me, but my actions do. I’ve learned to observe people’s actions, not just their words, and that has liberated me. Before, I used to let words affect me; now, I understand that actions and words are not always the same.

Above all, being free is choosing every day, even when no one chooses for you.

If a woman listening to you feels stuck or silenced, what is the first thing you would want to tell her?

The first thing I would tell her is this: fight for your story. Fight for yourself. Fight for the title of your own book and for your place in this world. You deserve to occupy the space you were born to have.

Your voice matters, your journey matters, and even if you feel silenced, you have the power to rise and reclaim your truth. But more than that — take the time to truly know yourself. Embrace solitude, because being alone is not a punishment, it’s a gift. It allows you to reflect, to discover your deepest truths, and to grow stronger.

Freedom begins the moment you face yourself fully, honor your own journey, and stop fearing the process of self-discovery. In that space, you find clarity, strength, and the courage to live authentically, no matter what anyone else thinks.

All content presented here, including the title “50 & Free,” is an original autobiographical work authored by Ana Cristina and based on her true personal history. This material is not plagiarized.