One day it just clicked. I don’t have to deal with this. I don’t have to tolerate this. I don’t have to keep accepting things that make me feel small just because I’ve been strong enough to handle them.
The Moment Everything Changes
There comes a moment when you realize that your strength isn’t a reason to tolerate more—it’s a reason to demand better. You work too hard. You show up too much. You’ve been too reliable, too honest, too dependable, too solid. To just accept whatever somebody decides to give you.
Just because you can carry a lot does not mean you have to. Just because you’ve been understanding does not mean you’re available to be played with. Just because you’ve been patient does not mean you don’t have a limit.
What You Know You Bring
You know what you bring. You know how you love. You know how you show up. You know how much effort you put into people and things that you care about. So, no—you’re not accepting less than what you know you deserve.
The Difference Between a Down Season and a Transitional Season
Some people thought they were kicking you while you were down, but you weren’t in a down season. You were in a transitional season. And there’s a difference. A down season is when you’re defeated. A transitional season is when you’re shedding what no longer serves you so you can step into who you’re becoming. One is a collapse. The other is a rebirth.
Once you taste the freedom of choosing yourself, there’s no going back. The shackles of people, places, and things that once held you no longer have power over you. You see through the excuses. You recognize disrespect even when it’s dressed up as something else.
You’ll never be the type of person to just lay down and accept disrespect just because someone dressed it up as an excuse. Because you know what you bring—and that is not up for negotiation.
