Some days we glow. Some days we grieve. And some days—we do both.
This piece is for the ones learning how to hold joy in one hand and exhaustion in the other.
You are not broken. You’re balancing. And even when the world doesn’t see it—your light still lives here.

I was finally ready to celebrate. To be seen. To speak. But just as joy stepped forward, life pulled it back. This is what it feels like when healing is real, but happiness still feels out of reach.

Hyperfunctional depression hides behind checklists and confidence. You won’t find it sobbing in a corner—you’ll find it sitting in meetings, smiling at brunch, and posting like everything’s fine. But inside, it feels like trying to breathe underwater while the world keeps moving.

A quiet story about the wounds no one reports — when a child learns to shrink inside the very place meant to help him grow. Sometimes, the harm isn’t loud. Sometimes, it’s the silence.

Behind every mask we wear to survive is a deeper truth waiting to be seen. This journal entry invites you to pause, breathe, and reflect on the silent battle of impostor syndrome—and the quiet power of finally seeing yourself.

A sacred story of how silence became survival—and how healing began with breath. For anyone still learning to exhale without apology.