When Smiling Feels Like a Lie
Have you ever looked in the mirror, forced a smile… and still felt hollow inside?
I have. And chances are, so have you.
There are seasons when we wear our masks so convincingly that even we begin to forget what’s underneath.
We meet deadlines. Show up for others. Pretend the ache is just exhaustion.
But late at night—when the world is quiet and no one’s watching—that ache starts speaking.
And here’s what I’ve learned through my own unraveling:
It’s okay to not be okay.
Not being okay isn’t failure or weakness.
It’s your soul whispering that it’s time to pause… to grieve… to breathe.
And maybe—just maybe—it’s the beginning of something more honest and more whole.
Silence Isn’t Strength—Expression Is
There was a time I couldn’t find my words.
I stopped writing.
Stopped talking.
I withdrew, believing silence was strength.
That by hiding my pain, I was somehow protecting myself—and others.
But silence quickly turned into shame. And shame became isolation.
It wasn’t until a friend gently asked, “Where have you been?” that the dam finally broke.
I cried—not from weakness, but from the relief of being seen.
Of being human without needing a script or smile.
Naming your pain is not complaining—it’s courage.
When we allow ourselves to be honest, we give others permission to do the same.
We’re Not Meant to Shine All the Time
Nature knows what we forget: we are cyclical beings. Just like the moon.
Some nights she glows bright and full. Other nights, she fades into invisibility. Still, she’s no less whole.
You are allowed to pull back. To rest and to go dim for a while.
This isn’t regression—it’s restoration. A sacred phase of renewal.
Don’t let a world addicted to productivity make you believe you’re only worthy when you’re lit up and performing.
Falling Apart Can Be the First Step Toward Wholeness
A woman named Lisa, 42, once spoke to me after a painful divorce.
She said,
“Everyone kept telling me I was strong. But I felt like a shell. What helped me was finally admitting—I needed to fall apart before I could rebuild.”
That moment of truth?
That’s when the real healing began.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop pretending.
Let the mask drop.
Allow yourself to crumble—because in the rubble, something new is waiting to rise.
Taking a Mental Health Day Is a Spiritual Act
There’s a quiet revolution happening.
More women are reclaiming “mental health days” not as escapes, but as sacred ground.
These aren’t indulgent timeouts—they’re essential rituals of self-respect.
A 2024 Psychology Today study found that one honest day of emotional rest can reduce stress by 27%.
That’s not woo. That’s wisdom backed by biology.
The world may not stop for your burnout. But you can pause.
You can say:
“Today, I choose me.”
You Are Sacred—Even in the Pause
If you’re holding back tears in the school pickup line or pushing through exhaustion at work, please hear me:
You don’t need to be whole to be worthy.
This is your permission slip to exhale. To weep. To do nothing. The earth will keep spinning.
The responsibilities will wait.
But your spirit? It needs a moment.
Let this be your sacred pause.
You are still divine. Still powerful. Still enough—even when you feel like you’re falling apart.
And sometimes…
Falling apart is how the light gets in.
Thank you for reading.
Additional Reading on the Topic:
Revealing Is Healing: The Power of Vulnerability
