When I Used To Be

Far too often I find myself saying, “when I was younger, I used to be a runner, singer, writer, performer, creator.” I used to be. I used to be.

Yes, I used to just be. So freely, without hesitation.

But you know what, that was a long time ago now. I’m not that carefree child anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. Often I’d wish I still was, but I’m not. I feel pressure, I feel responsibility, and anxiety has made home within my being.

While my spirit remains the same, my mind, my body, my life has changed. And today, I’m telling myself that it’s okay.

I am no longer a child, I am a woman. A woman who perseveres through pressure, a woman who takes responsibility, a woman who has befriended her anxiety. A woman who will always remember her inner child with great pride and fondness.

Today, I am a woman who is letting go of her used to bes, and accepting her, I ams.