FINDING EMOTIONAL FREEDOM FROM THE SHACKLES OF EXTERNAL EXPECTATIONS
I am in a prison - a jail cell. My wrists are shackled to the wall.
I try to move left - my culture's voice whispers in my ear, “women don’t take jobs like that.”
I turn right, and the louder voice of society comes crashing against the walls, “you will never be good enough.”
I wake up. Gasping for air.
Was that a dream? A nightmare?
I close my eyes again and again.
But I am here - paper and pen.
“That’s it”, I scream. “Leave me alone.“
This isn't safe. This isn't my home.
You don't care about me when you say
“Listen to this, it will all be ok.”
You care about your glory, the magical seat,
As my identity shifts away with each heart beat.
I ask for advice, a guiding light to count on
Until I realized, I was your pawn.
You didn't live out the dreams of your youth,
So instead of facing that pain
My life became your truth.
But it can't work like that, you see,
For you are you, and I am me.
And so it goes, the game of life...
We must live our truth
No matter what strife
I know what it may cause
But go ahead, cause it may
For I am in charge of this one and only day.
I've been cloaked in a mask,
It's called “people pleasing”
You may have the same illness
It comes in many forms - some are teasing.
Teasing you to change, to break at your core,
Your life doesn't count,
But you know there's more.
More for you to do, to say, to see...
More to explore, to examine to be.
So the light bulb effect occurs just like that...
A flip of a switch, a tug and a pat.
The nightmare is over
I’ve set myself free!
It may make you angry
But I must learn to please ME
I am not selfish, I am healing from bruised.
I am able to open my arms now.
We are fused.