I’ve been feeling low for a while now. And feeling low led to other feelings. Those feelings spiralled into even lower ones, until eventually, it became a vicious cycle – a seemingly unbreakable one.

While I was at my lowest, the very bottom of my emotions, I started thinking the worst. Who am I? What am I? Why am I? These are the questions I sometimes find myself pondering, and that’s exactly where I was. I stayed there for a while – wishing, praying, and hoping someone would reach out a hand and pull me back to my feet. And honestly? That’s okay.

But as I waited, I noticed something: I only got worse. Waiting for someone else can sometimes feel endless. Everyone has their own priorities, and unless I was on that list, I could stay in that place for a very long time.

Then a question hit me: Where can I find someone whose priority is me?

And with it came another realization – what if that someone was me? What if, instead of waiting for someone to save me, I tried saving myself?

It’s harder to lean on my own shoulder when I need support. It feels unnatural at first. But I learned it isn’t impossible. It’s a task, yes – a challenging one. But it can be done.

It wasn’t easy, and some days it still isn’t. But what I’ve learned is this: I am worth showing up for. I don’t have to wait for someone else to give me permission to heal, to grow, or to feel whole. I can do that for myself, even if it’s messy, even if it takes time. I can choose to make myself my own priority. I don’t need anyone to let me do that.

And when you think you can’t anymore – can’t wait, can’t try, can’t move – wrap your arms around yourself. Give yourself a hug. Lean your head on your own shoulder and just see how that feels. It may not fix everything, but it’s a start. A reminder that you are there for you, even in the hardest moments.

You don’t need to be someone else’s priority or feel the burden of not being one when you can always be your own priority. You can be your own best friend and confidante, your own strength in times of weakness.

That doesn’t mean we don’t need anyone to survive. Human connection is vital, and we thrive on it. But when it feels like we’re on our own, we can remind ourselves of this: we are on our own with the most important person in our lives at that moment – ourselves.

Showing up for me doesn’t mean I don’t need others. It just means I can be my own hand to hold when no one else is around. And that’s okay too.

Love always,