Why I wanted more.
Why I wasn’t satisfied with “good enough.”
Why my goals, boundaries, or choices didn’t match someone else’s expectations.

I tried to soften my desires so they would be easier for others to accept.
I added explanations.
I apologized — even when I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Eventually, I noticed something important:
the more I justified my desires, the less seriously they were taken.

Wanting something is not a flaw.
It doesn’t require permission.
And it doesn’t need to be defended.

I want what I want because it matters to me.
Not because it looks good from the outside.
Not because it fits into someone else’s comfort zone.

I stopped apologizing when I understood that my desires are part of my identity.
They reflect my values, my limits, and my direction.

People don’t have to agree with them.
But they do have to respect them.

Now, I speak more clearly.
I don’t over-explain.
I don’t shrink my wishes to make them more convenient.

Letting go of unnecessary apologies gave me something valuable — confidence.
Not loud confidence.
Quiet certainty.

And that changed how others relate to me — and how I relate to myself.