This is for the you that’s been hiding

Hey you,

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “I’m not even sure who I’m looking at”?

Not in a dramatic way. Just in that quiet, confusing way that sneaks up on you. You realise you've spent so much time adjusting to other people... their moods, their opinions, their expectations... that somewhere along the line, you got blurry.

Maybe you said yes to things you didn’t want. Maybe you laughed when something didn’t feel funny. Maybe you kept the peace so often, you forgot what your voice sounds like when it’s honest.

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not the only one.

I know what it’s like to forget what you actually enjoy. To be so focused on being liked that you lose track of being real. It’s a strange feeling; to be everywhere and nowhere at once.

But maybe this is the part where you begin again. Where you slowly start paying attention to the little things, like what makes you feel calm, or when your smile feels real, or what songs you skip every single time (even if they’re on everyone else’s playlist).

You don’t have to figure it all out today. You just have to start listening.

So if you’re trying to find your way back to yourself, here’s something you could try: Start small. Notice what makes you feel more like you. Maybe it’s the kind of music you play when no one else is around. Maybe it’s the way you feel when you're with someone who doesn’t make you shrink.

You could even make a simple list—“Things that feel like me.” Add to it when something clicks. Or take five minutes at the end of the day to ask: “Did I show up as myself today or as who I thought I had to be?”

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be honest.

And if you’re already on that journey, as awkward and imperfect as it can be, I hope you know that’s something to be proud of.

-Golie from MANI