Finding Your Light

They say love yourself, As if it were that simple, As if I could just flip a switch And suddenly see what they see. But every mirror I pass Reflects back their whispers instead of my face, Their judgments carved into my skin Like ancient hieroglyphs of "not enough." I've spent years Apologizing for the space I occupy, Making myself smaller, Folding myself into origami shapes That fit their perfect little boxes. And they have so many boxes, don't they? Too loud. Too quiet. Too much. Not enough. Too sensitive. Too cold. Too ambitious. Too complacent. The world is a concert hall of critics, Each with their own scorecard, Ready to rate your performance Before you've even cleared your throat. But listen— What if the noise isn't the truth? What if their judgment is just The static between radio stations, And you are the song they can't quite hear? I am learning That loving myself Is an act of rebellion. It's standing in the storm of their opinions And finding stillness at my center. It's understanding that their words Are more about their wounds Then about my worth. It's planting seeds in the garden of my soul Even when they tell me nothing will grow there. I am learning That I don't need their permission To take up space, To speak my truth, To shine my light. I am learning That my body is not a battlefield But a sanctuary, Not a problem to be fixed But a miracle in motion. I am learning To hear my own voice Above their chorus of criticism, To trust the wisdom in my bones, To follow the compass of my heart. And on days when I forget, When their voices grow too loud, When the weight of judgment Threatens to crush my spirit, I whisper to myself: "You are not for everyone, And that's your power." I am learning That loving myself Doesn't happen all at once, It happens in moments— When I defend my boundaries, When I honor my needs, When I celebrate my victories, When I forgive my failures, When I speak my truth, Even when my voice shakes. I am a work in progress, A beautiful unfinished symphony, A garden growing wild and free. And in this overwhelming, judgmental world, The bravest thing I can do Is to be gentle with myself, To be patient with my journey, To trust that I am exactly Who I am meant to be. Because when I finally found the courage To love myself fiercely, Unapologetically, Completely, I realized that no opinion, No judgment, No criticism Could ever diminish The light that burns within me. And neither can they Diminish Yours.