Hey there, Reader!
What if you stopped bending to fit?
I spent years mastering the art of becoming what others wanted. A quiet, obedient child. A straight-A student. The partner who compromised. The employee who expanded or shrank as needed.
Before I ever truly knew myself, I had already learned how to be loved—on everyone else’s terms.
But when you bend yourself enough times, you start to forget your original shape. You wonder: Is this really me? Or just the version that’s most acceptable?
For years, I thought love came with conditions. In fact, I usually set those conditions myself. I believed if someone saw all of me—my quirks, my loud personality, my unconventional dreams—they’d walk away. So I showed only the pieces that were easiest to love.
And in doing so, I was the one who never fully accepted myself.
What changed? I got still. I listened. I met myself without judgment.
In seeing myself fully, I finally found love—the kind that doesn’t shrink, perform, or ask for permission.
This isn’t some destination within myself that I achieved, rather it’s a practice of continuously meeting myself without judgment and consciously being (and loving!) my True Self, regardless of circumstances or conditions.
Where in your life have you been shape-shifting? What would it feel like to stand fully as yourself, no conditions?
There’s freedom in being seen—fully and completely. When you allow yourself to be seen, you create space for deeper, truer connections.
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With love,
Adrienne
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What would change in your life if you fully embraced who you are—without conditions?
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P.S If this resonates, you won’t want to miss this week’s podcast episode on Better Days Start Today. I’m talking about how we lose ourselves in the pursuit of love and acceptance—and what it takes to finally come home to ourselves. If you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink, bend, or edit yourself to be worthy, this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen in tomorrow!
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In the midst of grief? Check out my book, Scattered Thoughts on Loss: Grief Haikus. Available here on Amazon.​
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