Member-only story
The More I Heal, the More Comfortable I Am With Disappointing Others
Healing taught me how to disappoint others without losing myself.
At a crowded family gathering last year, my uncle called across the table:
“So, what are you doing with your life these days?”
There was silence. Everyone looked at me, waiting. I knew what they wanted to hear: ambition, success, progress.
Instead, I took a breath and announced:
“I’m slowing down. I’m learning to be okay with less.”
He blinked, confused. My mother’s eyes widened. My aunt coughed uncomfortably. I could feel disappointment spreading through the room, thick and stifling. But for the first time, I didn’t rush to fix it.
Because the more I heal, the more comfortable I am with disappointing others.
I was raised to never disappoint.
As an only child, disappointing others was never an option. Success was mandatory.
I’ve been given everything I wanted. Private lessons. Fashionable clothes. Trips to broaden my horizons. My parents poured their money into my education and being presentable. Under one condition: I had to obey.
