My Chains Are Gone
There was a time in my life when I didn't realize how many chains I was carrying. They weren't visible to anyone around me, and yet they affected nearly every part of my life. They were made of fear, self-doubt, guilt, worry, and expectations that I could never seem to meet. Some were created by difficult experiences. Others came from words spoken by people I trusted. Many were forged by the stories I told myself about who I was and who I thought I needed to be. The difficult thing about carrying chains is that after a while, you stop noticing them. Their weight becomes familiar. You learn how to function despite them, convincing yourself that everyone feels this burden and that this is simply what life is supposed to be. I spent years believing I had to be strong all the time. I believed I had to have the answers, solve the problems, and somehow keep everything together. When things didn't go according to plan, I blamed myself. When life became overwhelming, I questioned w...
