大多數人在生活中都曾經試著委曲自己，試著縮小自己，少說點話，不能太敏感。別自以為是，不要有太多需要….，因為不想成為別人的負擔。不想鶴立雞群讓別人遠離我，希望人們喜歡我。想要被人關心、被人重視、被人需要。所以長久以來，我寧可犧牲自己，為了讓別人快樂，也因此，多年來我一直在受苦。
但我已經厭倦了受這種苦，我也受夠了不做自己。把自己變成別人心目中有價值的人不是我該做的事，我本身就是有價值的，不是因為其他人怎麼想我，而是因為我的存在，所以我很重要，我的想法、我的感覺、和我的聲音都很重要。無論有沒有別人的許可或批准，我會繼續做我自己，說出心裡的真話。就算這會讓人生氣，或是讓人不舒服，或不想在我身邊，我都不再退讓。
我選擇做好自己，尊重我的感受，選擇允許自己去圓滿我渴望的需求。我選擇了自己。
“Most of my life has been spent trying to shrink myself. Trying to become smaller. Quieter. Less sensitive. Less opinionated. Less needy. Because I didn’t want to be a burden. I didn’t want to be too much or push people away. I wanted people to like me. I wanted to be cared for and valued. I wanted to be wanted. So for years, I sacrificed myself for the sake of making other people happy. And for years, I suffered.
But I’m tired of suffering, and I’m done shrinking. It’s not my job to change who I am in order to become someone else’s idea of a worthwhile human being. I am worthwhile. Not because other people think I am, but because I exist, and therefore I matter. My thoughts matter. My feelings matter. My voice matters. And with or without anyone’s permission or approval, I will continue to be who I am and speak my truth. Even if it makes people angry. Even if it makes them uncomfortable. Even if they choose to leave. I refuse to shrink. I choose to take up space. I choose honor my feelings. I choose to give myself permission to get my needs met. I choose me”
~Daniel Keopke.
