I see what’s behind your strong face. I see the pain you’re hiding to protect yourself and to keep up that image of a strong and independent woman who doesn’t need anyone’s help. I see what you’re doing and I get it.
I know you can’t afford to show weakness. I know that you have to get up every morning and along with your make-up, put a smile on your face.
Because that is what a smile is to you—a removable piece of make-up.
You have your reasons for acting like that. You have to keep it together because there is someone else you’re protecting.
You’re pretending you’re okay for the sake of someone dear to you, someone you can’t let down.
The sad part is, no one ever asks if you can do it. No one cares where you get the strength from.
People think you’re like that as if you have a choice. But you don’t have a choice, do you? Being strong is something you HAVE to be.
You were taught that tears are a sign of weakness. You were taught that no matter what, you have to get up in the morning and go on—for the sake of the others.
No one has ever told you that you have to think about yourself, too.
If you don’t feel like smiling today, then don’t smile. If you don’t feel like talking to others, retrieve to your lonesome.
Do whatever the hell you want because you deserve it.
Hey, it’s okay not to be okay. We weren’t made perfect, we weren’t born with a smile.
We were born with a choice to act the way we feel. Everything else we do is a lie.
Don’t lie to yourself and don’t bottle up your feelings. They are eventually going to float out.
And when that time comes, you’re going to pay the price for not respecting yourself this whole time.
What is strength, anyway?
I know that’s what you’re thinking now. Strength is being able to keep it together.
Strength is the ability to not show your emotions. Strength is when you hold your tears in. Well, you got it all wrong.
What you think strength is, is a big, fat lie. You’re lying to yourself and by lying you’re not respecting yourself.
Then, how can you respect or love anyone else?
Let me tell you what being strong really is. It’s having the courage to admit when your life is going down the drain.
It’s being able to admit that you’re not having a great day. Strength is all of that but the biggest sign of how much of a badass you are is the ability to live through all of that and come back stronger than ever.
Being strong is when your life is falling apart and you decide to turn it around.
When you hit rock bottom and you know there is no other way than going up from where you are.
And you go ahead and do it. You take one thing at a time and you’re successful. You’re building yourself one small step at a time.
That’s what being strong really is.
Never be afraid to admit you need someone. That is not a sign of weakness. That is a sign you have the guts to show everyone how you really feel.
You’re so brave for doing that. Do you know why?
It’s because people lie all the time. People think that being vulnerable is something you should be ashamed of.
They automatically feel exposed and threatened. They’re living in fear of getting hurt.
But none of them gets that besides getting hurt, you can get help from the people who love you.
But the people who care about you see this image of a strong young woman fighting every battle but what they don’t see is that you’re swallowing your every tear and hiding your pain.
That’s why they won’t offer to help you. They think you don’t need it.
But listen to this: “I need you to help me!” Try this, it’s not as hard as you think.
It’s so much easier than everything you’re doing now. And most importantly, it’s more than okay.
