#167: I Got Herpes From Cheating

Content note: adult language; sex; cheating; STIs; faith.What if the thing you’re sure will ruin you is exactly what frees you? This is a raw, unfiltered origin story: the night Rebecca Antonucci chose herself, cheated, contracted herpes, and drew a line in the sand between the life before and the life after. It’s an episode about choice points, spiritual framing without punishment, sexual truth-telling, and the cost of staying where you’re not chosen.We Cover: God isn’t punitive; choice is sacred. Your life shifts when you accept you’re never powerless, even at your lowest. Sexual mismatch is a relationship truth, not a character flaw. Ignoring it invites jealousy, acting out, and resentment. Choice points are everywhere. Barricades, bollards, “wrong turns,” and gut pings aren’t traps,  they’re mirrors. Shame alchemizes into leadership when owned publicly. When you tell the story, it stops using you. Apology ≠ change. “Sorry” without a sustained behavior shift is emotional gaslighting. Disclosure is adult intimacy. Herpes status and sexual stamina/values are baseline conversations, not awkward footnotes. Self-drop = collateral damage. Every time you abandon yourself, you end up betraying others too.Time Stamps: 00:00 – Prayer, not perfection: Why a 30-second prayer beats a performative morning routine. 01:37 – Before vs. After: The pivot point that split Rebecca’s life in two. 02:12 – Training & telling the story: Why this is the first time you’re hearing all of it. 03:24 – The confession: Cheating, herpes, and unmet sexual needs. 12:36 – The grief & the rage: Being ignored hurts more than bad sex. 21:16 – The travel expo test: Following a man who won’t choose you. 33:50 – Why the lesson stuck: Expander energy and owning the price of the ride. 35:10 – Integrity vs. pattern: When you know it’s over but keep saying yes. 37:53 – Why herpes became grace: The line in the sand that prevented the relapse. 45:00 – Boundaries with temptation: When your libido tells the truth you won’t. 49:57 – The new disclosure standard: Status and stamina. 51:08 – Compassion for the younger self: She did the best she could. 56:48 – Nature loves courage: The quote that carried the reveal.I get SO lit up by every single conversation I have with my community. 💜 If you loved this episode, screenshot it, tag me, and come and say hi on Instagram @rebecca.antonucci