I’ve been liberated by 4 words
“You don’t have to”

AHHHH… just breathe that in for a moment.
You. Don’t. Have. To.

You don’t have to do anything, be anything, get anything.

You don’t have to “make it”
You don’t have to be popular
You don’t have to have friends
You don’t have to be liked
You don’t have to be polite
You don’t have to say the right things
You don’t have to get out of bed
You don’t have to pay your bills
You don’t even have to be here
You don’t have to apologize
You don’t have to be happy
You don’t have to care
You don’t have to anything
You don’t have to make more money
You don’t have write the best book
You don’t have to be beautiful
You don’t have to be attractive
You don’t have to be nice
You don’t have to entertain anyone
You don’t have to

telling myself these words makes my shoulders relax
it makes me sigh with relief
it takes all the pressure away

I don’t have to do any of the things I thought I did in order to become someone or something. I don’t have to impress the world. I don’t have to achieve anything to say and prove something about me to someone. I don’t have to. I don’t have to do any of it.

And now with all the pressure off – I can decide freely what and who I wish to be.