But here's what I've figured out—people see you through the lens of their own insecurity and their own needs. They're not actually seeing you. They're seeing a reflection of themselves. So when someone tells you you're too much or not enough, what they're usually saying is that you don't fit into what they need from you. That's not a reflection on who you are. That's a reflection on who they are.

I spent years trying to make people comfortable by being less of myself. And the ironic thing is, it didn't work. People who needed you to be small will just find new ways to make you feel small. But people who actually care about you? They want the full version of you, not the reduced version you create to avoid causing problems. 💪

Now when I feel like someone is trying to make me doubt myself, I stop and ask—do I actually believe this about me? Or am I believing it because I'm afraid of what they'll do if I don't? There's a big difference.