But I'm realizing now that loneliness is something different. It's a kind of misunderstanding about who you are, even when you're surrounded by people.

I notice that I can feel lonely in a crowded room if I'm performing for everyone instead of being myself. And I can feel completely peaceful alone with a book if I'm actually being honest with myself about what I'm thinking and feeling. 🤔 So maybe loneliness isn't about other people at all. Maybe it's about being disconnected from yourself.

When I'm young like this, still figuring things out, it's easy to think that the answer to emptiness is finding someone else. Someone who will complete you, understand you, make you feel less alone. 💫 But I'm starting to wonder if that's backward. What if the first work is learning to be your own companion? To know yourself well enough that you're not desperate for someone else to validate your existence?

There's something brave about sitting with yourself—really sitting with yourself—instead of always reaching for distraction or company. 🙏 It's uncomfortable. You have to face the things you don't like about yourself. You have to admit the fears you've been running from. But on the other side of that discomfort is a kind of wholeness that no other person can give you.

I'm learning that the people worth having in your life are the ones who add something to a life that's already full, not the ones you're desperately hoping will fill the emptiness. ✨

What if the first love you need to learn is how to love yourself—not in a selfish way, but in a way that's honest and kind and real?