Some people still see the old me when they look at me.
The one who apologized too much. The one who stayed too long. The one who made herself smaller to make others comfortable.
And I understand. That was the version they knew. That was the version they built their expectations around.
But she's not here anymore. Not fully.
I've changed in ways that aren't always visible from the outside. The boundaries I've set. The things I've stopped tolerating. The silence I now choose instead of the explanations I used to offer.
Not everyone will understand this version of me. Some will miss the one who was easier to navigate. Some will confuse my growth with distance. Some will feel like I've changed too much.
And maybe I have. But I didn't change to make a statement. I changed because the old way of being was costing me more than I could afford.
I don't owe anyone the version of me they're most comfortable with.
Growth means some people will need to get to know you again. And some won't want to. That's okay.
I'd rather be misunderstood and aligned than familiar and empty.
This version of me isn't perfect. But she's honest. And that matters more to me now than being easy to love.