Dear Kiran,
I wish changing your mind was normalized. It seems so scary to receive new information and then change your mind, but you do it! And it inspires me!
Your strength comes from the ability to change.
Your life hasn’t been easy. I’d never wish the stress and trauma you’ve endured on anyone. But this is your experience. And it’s made you learn to cope in all sorts of ways.
Some are healthy, and others aren’t. Some coping skills make you a stronger person. Some of them challenge relationships and even your very existence.
But somehow, through all the trauma, neglect, mental health challenges, and stress, you have caught a glimmer of hope in your ability to change.
I’ve watched as you take in new information and consider it. You ask questions. You seek to learn more. You’re willing to be called out. To listen. To have your beliefs and perspectives challenged.
You listen to the experience of others. You see others who have lived through life in ways you can only imagine. Things you had never considered.
You ask for clarification as others describe their viewpoints. You seek to connect through your curiosity. You ask questions.
And you listen to the answers. Really, truly listen. You HEAR people. Their experiences, their lives, their unspoken words.
And then you take it one step further.
You allow yourself to change.
You change your mind. Your actions. Your perspective.
You don’t back down from the challenge of changing “who you’ve always been” to who you want to become.
You change the words you use. You change the thoughts that guide your actions.
You allow yourself the grace and the space to change.
You recognize that while something may have worked for you your entire life, it might not now.
You root out harmful patterns. You refuse to harm others, and as soon as you’re called out – YOU CHANGE.
It’s so rare. It’s so inspiring. And it’s such a STRONG action.
Change is scary. We don’t like to learn we’ve been wrong. We don’t like to learn how our actions hurt others. We don’t like to be uncomfortable.
But you thrive in those moments of discomfort. You sit there with all the pain, the hurt, and the trauma, and you CHANGE.
It’s never easy, but you do it with confidence. You inspire others around you to be better. To do better.
You inspire them to change, too.
Your strength? It changes you. It changes others. It is change.
Your strength is change.
Thank you for the strength to change.