Personal recognition of your own protective shells Been looking in the mirror since I broke Seeing patterns I've been carrying for years The way I smile when I'm actually hurting The way I laugh to cover up my fears I built these walls to keep me safe But now they feel more like a cage Protecting me from getting hurt But also keeping me from turning the page All these ways I've learned to hide All these masks I wear inside Maybe what kept me alive back then Is what's keeping me from living now I've been my own choir of shells Singing songs that sound like me but never tell The truth about what's underneath I've been my own choir of shells Harmonizing all the ways I protect myself But drowning out what wants to breathe What if the thing that's gotta break Is every safe choice that I make? Always saying "I'm fine" when I'm not Always taking care of everyone else first Making jokes when conversations get too deep 'Cause vulnerability feels like the worst I've been performing my own life Reading from a script I wrote too young When someone asks me what I really want I realize I've forgotten my own tongue All these ways I've learned to hide All these masks I wear inside Maybe what kept me alive back then Is what's keeping me from living now I've been my own choir of shells Singing songs that sound like me but never tell The truth about what's underneath I've been my own choir of shells Harmonizing all the ways I protect myself But drowning out what wants to breathe What if the thing that's gotta break Is every safe choice that I make? What if I took off every mask? What if I said what I actually think? What if I stopped performing normal And let myself stand on the brink Of being real? (Being real) Of being seen? (Being seen) Of letting someone past these walls To who I've always been? Scary as hell... (Scary as hell) But maybe free... (Maybe free) Maybe the shells are the prison And breaking's the key I've been my own choir of shells Time to break the songs that never tell The truth about what's underneath I've been my own choir of shells But I'm tired of protecting myself From everything I need to breathe Yeah, the thing that's gotta break Is every safe choice that I make (Every safe choice that I make) (Time to let the real voice break through) (Every safe choice that I make) (to.... whaaaats neeext)
