There is no shame in choosing safety

there is no shame in choosing safety,

and sometimes safety is all we can manage.

we shut down, we numb, we disconnect,

often it is necessary,

it is primal,

it is survival.

though, there is a quiet cost to disconnection.

sometimes it looks like emptiness,

under guise of calm.

and the pieces we push down, don't always stay hidden.

they lose their invisibility,

in our body, in our relationships,

in the ways that we show up.

they challenge capacity for joy,

to find meaning,

closeness and connection.

and in gently turning toward what we feel,

even meeting or inviting discomfort,

we can understand our needs,

soften toward ourselves,

lead with presence, authenticity, and alignment,

and return to self in ways that feels grounded,

ways that feel anchored, attuned, and alive.