Claiming Yourself Again

There comes a moment in every heart’s journey when clarity arrives; not loudly, not painfully, but gently, like a truth you’ve always known. You are allowed to step back from the love that asked you to shrink, from the people who only noticed your worth when you were gone, and from the places that taught your spirit to brace instead of bloom. This isn’t abandonment. This isn’t a defeat. It’s a return.

Walking forward with your head lifted is an act of courage, the kind that grows from finally seeing yourself clearly. It’s the quiet strength of someone choosing peace over confusion, presence over pretending, and healing over holding on to what hurts.

You’re not turning away from anyone. You’re turning toward yourself. And that is a sacred, powerful thing: giving yourself back the tenderness, truth, and space you’ve always deserved.

-Oluwademilade from MANI