There's a pressure we place on ourselves to be okay. To bounce back quickly. To not fall apart. To keep perspective. To stay in control.
Even when the heart is heavy. Even when the body is tired. Even when life is shifting in ways we didn't choose.
We try to hold it together. To minimise our pain. To be strong for others, for ourselves, for the version of us we think we're supposed to be.
Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is let yourself feel it all. The sadness, the disappointment, the rage. The ache of uncertainty. The quiet grief of change. The joy you almost don't trust. The softness you've been taught to hide.
You are not too emotional.
You are not too much.
You are a human being with a heart that wasn't built for constant suppression.
You are allowed to cry in the middle of a good day.
You are allowed to grieve something that others don't understand.
You are allowed to say, 'I know I'll get through this, but today, I need to feel it.'
Emotions aren't threats. They're invitations. They don't need to be fixed. They want to be witnessed.
When you stop judging your feelings, you start healing.
This doesn't mean drowning in every emotion. It means giving yourself permission to be honest.
To move through, not around.
To breathe instead of brace.
To feel it all and trust that you can.
You are strong enough for softness.
You are allowed to feel the full range of your humanity without apology.