Imagine.

Imagine a person trapped in a constant push and pull between their desires and the expectations of the world around them. They’re living in a muted haze, barely noticeable, trying to fade into the background, but there’s always this small spark within them—a need to speak up, to assert themselves—trying to break free. It’s like they want to scream, but something heavy holds them back, keeping them stuck in place.

They bend over backward for everyone else, twisting themselves into knots just to fit into what others expect. They feel the tension, the exhaustion of constantly trying to please everyone, and yet, they don’t know how to stop. There’s a deep fear there, too, a quiet terror of what might happen if they finally stand their ground. Maybe it’s a fear of being rejected or upsetting someone, or maybe they’ve experienced that kind of rejection before, and it haunts them.

In their mind, there’s this thin, trembling thread of self-worth—fragile and barely holding on. It feels like one wrong move, one attempt to assert themselves, might snap it, sending everything crashing down. But still, it holds, even as anxiety swirls around, making them second-guess every thought, every decision. They worry about saying the wrong thing, about making the wrong choice, and that fear paralyzes them, keeping them from moving forward.

In moments of quiet, there’s a softness inside them, a small voice whispering that their feelings matter too. But it’s so easily drowned out by the chaos of their mind, by the overwhelming need to keep everything calm, to avoid conflict at all costs. They’re stuck in this cycle, caught between wanting to break free and fearing what might happen if they do.