Because the more steps you take forward, the further you get from the old version of yourself, the one who was running on empty, trying to be everything to everyone, and losing yourself in the process.

You know that feeling when you’re supposed to show up somewhere and instead of excitement, you feel dread? Not because you don’t care about the people or the event, but because showing up has started to feel like a job? Yeah. That was me.

In a world that constantly demands our attention, energy, and emotional investment, there’s something profoundly liberating about remembering this simple truth: you have the power to protect your peace.