How do you know when resting becomes quitting? When is it okay to stop striving and just exist? I’ve spent my life pushing through crises, proving my worth, and achieving—always achieving. But now, maybe, I just want to be. Is that enough?
After years of striving for stability, life unraveled in 2021, leaving me once again in survival mode. A tough visit with my kids, an unexpected opportunity at dealer school, and a stint at Wal-Mart brought reflection, challenges, and a shot at reinvention.
Struggling with the balance between self-care and parental duties, I face the harsh reality of choices impacting my children and myself. My decision to prioritize healing and authenticity conflicts with expectations, leaving me questioning whose needs should take precedence.
Navigating life’s challenges is tough, especially when the path forward seems blocked by external factors. Despite facing soul-crushing jobs and a toxic past relationship, I’m determined to chase my dreams of becoming a screenwriter. The journey is hard, but the potential reward is immense.
It’s a terrible feeling, not belonging anywhere, only being tolerated for conforming to the expectations of others. My journey to authenticity has been a struggle, especially raising privileged children while confronting my own past of poverty and suppression. Yet for all that I currently feel hopeless, I am working harder than ever to bring the me that lives inside my head to life.
Forty was a devastating year. Betrayal, loss, and disillusionment consumed me. Now, at forty-one, I face an uncertain future, but I write for my children, hoping to inspire the young to fight for a better world to prevent the incipient apocalypse.
I’ve upset most of my husband’s friends, but it’s led to surprising changes in our lives. By insisting my husband go to therapy, we’ve started understanding each other better. Now, I’m challenging his friends to be more emotionally supportive or leave our lives.