Just thinking about how I dreamt of the days that my boyfriend and I would wake up next to each other each day and do life together. I always imagined us laughing a lot and always feeling in love every day, the way we felt then in the beginning. I dreamt of having cats and having a garage and being able to pay our bills and still go out when we wanted to… I dreamt of the very life that I have today, and I never want to take that for granted.

What we focus on becomes our life. If I am constantly complaining about something or always annoyed by someone, I am wasting time and energy on the very things that I am bothered by. If I feel uncomfortable or disrespected in any manner, then it is up to me to speak up about my feelings to the people who can make a difference; harboring anger and building resentment will only prevent my growth. Setting boundaries is important and I refuse to make myself small in order to keep others comfortable- I don’t deserve that. I’d rather focus on all of the good in my life and what I am grateful for, as that will help me to succeed.

I am done treating myself like I don’t matter, like my opinions aren’t just as important as anyone else’s. I am done worrying about if someone is going to think I am “rude” for speaking up for myself. I know my intentions, and I know that I care about other people. I also know how that can be a weakness in some regard, so I am making sure I am aware and I set appropriate boundaries. Instead of focusing on the outcome or how someone will respond, I will focus on what the goal is and my intentions behind it.

I enjoy the life I have, and am grateful for the wonderful people I have supporting me and loving me along the way- now I am choosing to also become one of those supportive people for myself. I am cheering myself on every step of the way, and I am so proud of the work I’ve done and how much I’ve learned on this healing journey. I have plenty more work to do, but I am excited to continue to learn and grow in this life.