RELEASE ME

Release me

From the prison,

I’ve created,

I wasn’t forced to participate

I entered of my own free will,

But little did I know,

How my life would go

I’ve been stumbling uphill,

Unable to find self-control,

I swallow poison,

And I know,

I’m slowly killing myself,

There’s no one to blame,

I look in the mirror,

I am ashamed of my reflection,

I want to explain,

Everything I’ve done,

My every wrong,

I need to tell someone,

But no one cares,

They’re too scared,

I will outburst and swear,

Here I am,

At the doctors,

Filling out a questionnaire,

My last hope,

Such despair,

Asking for help,

Release me,

Please.

How far you have come

Instead of focusing on how far you still have to go, take
some time today to remind yourself of how far you’ve
already come. Yes, you might still be struggling. And yes, you
may still have some distance to cover, but those things don’t
discount the progress you’ve already made. Healing takes
time. Life takes time. It’s not a process that can be rushed.
You’ll get there when you get there. And you’re allowed to
give yourself that time.

Beating yourself up for not being further along does
absolutely nothing to help get you closer to where you want
to be. It makes you feel inadequate and ashamed, and it
keeps you stuck. So stop fixating on how much farther you
need to go and start acknowledging how incredible it is that
you’ve gotten as far as you have. That despite how difficult
this path has been, you haven’t given up. That even though
you’ve felt hopeless and defeated, you keep showing up every
day and trying your best. Because that’s what matters.

I know it can be so painful to feel stuck. I know you’re tired.
And I know that it’s hard not to feel ashamed if it’s taking
you longer. But you have to let go of this idea that you
should be further ahead. Trust that it’s okay to be where you
are. Trust that you won’t be here forever. Trust that you will
get to where you need to be in your own time. You’re doing
the best you can each day to fight the darkness you feel and
take steps forward in your process, and that’s all you can ask
of yourself. It’s enough. No matter where you are in your
journey, you’re enough.

ANXIETY HOLDS ME, TIGHTLY

Anxiety hold me, tightly.

It creeps in , ever so slightly,

Sometimes whispers,

Sometimes yells,

But it will be heard.

I believe I am strong,

But oh, how I am wrong,

Self-doubt, negativity and hurt,

To name a few,

The list goes on,

It’s easy for anxiety to do.

Punch to the gut.

Head constructs,

Terrible thoughts.

Stare at the mirror

And see my flaws,

Disgusted and ashamed

of my reflection.

Anxiety through my eyes,

And out of my mouth.

Boss me around.

Toss words without care,

Watch them unravel.

I listen, unable, to take control.

Anxiety holds power.

Insecurity runs deep,

Permanent scars, no one can see.

Anxiety presses upon my chest,

I sometimes wonder , am I possessed?

But then I remember,

I am depressed and stressed.

It waits, it creeps in,

Ever so slightly,

Anxiety holds me, tightly.