24/07/2025
Have you ever felt small around people—even when they’re not doing anything “wrong”?
I’ve realized I feel most at peace when I’m around people who inspire me, support me, or make me feel safe just being myself.
I didn’t grow up with that kind of energy. Negativity and criticism were normal. I didn’t even notice how deeply that shaped my thinking—until I started challenging it. But when you’re still surrounded by people who think that way, it can be exhausting.
I recently sat at a table with my brother’s friends for his birthday. They were perfectly nice… but I felt like a teenager again. Like the version of me who never quite fit. They didn’t do anything wrong. But I shrank anyway.
And I just thought: “I don’t want to feel small anymore.”
I used to feel broken for not enjoying the same kind of “fun” as my brothers—drinking, partying, being the loudest in the room. But now I realize, my kind of fun looks different. And that’s okay.
✨ You don’t have to apologize for growing. For wanting more peace. For choosing different company.
If the people around you don’t make you feel safe, maybe it’s not you. Maybe it’s just time for a new room.