For the first time in my life, I felt self-compassion. Before, I always found a reason not to: maybe I deserved it, others have it worse, life is just unfair. I never allowed myself to see it any other way. Maybe that’s why I never talked about it.

We complain that others don’t understand us, but often, we don’t understand ourselves. Accepting that we are struggling, showing vulnerability, and allowing ourselves to feel compassion for who we are shouldn’t be shameful. It’s the first step for others to accept us, because first, we had to accept ourselves.