Nobody who has ever made me feel small has possessed a life I admire. They simply don’t function under circumstances similar to mine. How can I let them in as decision-makers when there are things they can never understand? They will never be able to grasp any of the phases I have gone through or will go through.
What they think and how they feel about my life should never carry enough weight to hold me back. Whatever they may find cringe, odd, or complex are experiences they can barely fathom. What I am and what I do cannot be subjects of their mockery.
They can hand out their criticisms, yes, and they may help me grow. But judgment coming from a place of ignorance will never make me betray my own potential. Why should I? Nobody who has ever made me feel small has possessed a life I admire, and this alone sets me free.
Now, it's your turn to write:
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Write about a time someone made you feel small. What about their life or mindset made their judgment irrelevant in hindsight?
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Describe a moment when you allowed someone else’s opinion to hold you back. What did you learn from it?
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Write about the kind of people you do admire. What qualities set them apart?
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What parts of your life or identity have been mocked or misunderstood? How do you now protect those parts?
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Explore the idea of freedom from others’ expectations. When have you felt most free?
And finally, repeat the entry above to yourself to ease your mind.