Instructions for Becoming Real

Wake up.

Even if you don’t want to.

Even if the weight on your chest

feels heavier than gravity allows.

Brush your teeth.

Drink water.

Say your name out loud

until it sounds like something

worth answering to.

Be kind.

Even when you feel brittle.

Even when your hands shake

carrying a smile you don’t believe in.

Grieve what you’ve lost—

not just people,

but versions of yourself

you no longer recognize in photographs.

Learn the language of silence.

It has more to say than most people.

Let things go

without needing to replace them.

Not every empty space

is a failure.

Hold joy gently.

It’s shy.

It startles easy.

Remember:

Healing doesn’t mean you’re finished hurting.

It just means you’re learning

how to keep walking

with the wound.

And when someone tells you

you’ve changed—

say, “Thank you.”

Because you’re not here

to stay the same.