You wake up already negotiating with the version of you in your head, Trying to separate what’s real from the things you wish you never said. Every small mistake feels magnified and permanent, Like one wrong breath could prove you were never worth it. You move through the day like you’re carrying something fragile inside your chest, Like if anyone looked too close they’d see how hard you’re trying just to manage this. You call it “just a phase,” you call it “being dramatic,” But it’s heavier than that and you’re tired of pretending it isn’t. And nobody claps For the wars you fight in silence. Nobody sees What it costs to keep smiling. This isn’t the end of you, Even if tonight feels like it’s closing in. Even if your own reflection Feels like someone you’re losing again. This isn’t the end of you, Even if your chest feels tight with doubt. Even if every quiet second Is screaming you should tap out. You are more than the worst night you’ve survived. You are more than the voice that says you’re done. This isn’t the end of you. You’ve gotten good at making pain look reasonable, Turning breakdowns into something almost presentable. You minimize the effort it takes just to exist Like waking up and showing up isn’t resistance. You think because you’re tired that you must be weak, Because you’re overwhelmed that you must be incomplete. But there’s nothing fragile about still being here When your own mind makes it hard to breathe. If you could see yourself The way the rest of us do, You’d understand How much strength it took just to get through. This isn’t the end of you, Even if you’re running on almost nothing. Even if the weight of your thoughts Feels like it’s crushing something. This isn’t the end of you, Even if hope feels thin as air. Even if you don’t believe it That doesn’t make it untrue. You are more than the worst thing you’ve thought about yourself. You are more than the fear you can’t outrun. This isn’t the end of you. You are not finished. You are not fading. You are not what the doubt is saying. The fact that you’re still here Means something. The fact that you’re still trying Means everything. This isn’t the end of you, Not tonight, not like this. Not with your heart still beating Against all of it. This isn’t the end of you, Even if you can’t see what’s next. Even if you’re barely holding on By the edge of your breath. You are still here. You are still breathing. You are still becoming Something stronger than you know. This isn’t the end of you.
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