I see you.

You’re the one who can’t remember the last time you did something just because you wanted to, not because it would look good or prove something or keep someone interested.

You’re the one who lies awake at night, exhausted from performing all day, but unable to rest because resting feels like failing or missing out or like you have not finished “doing” something.

You’re the one who doesn’t know what you want for dinner because you’ve spent so long being what everyone else needs that your own desires have become strangers.

You’re the one who measures your worth in grades, titles, positions, replies in someone’s DMs, likes on TikTok—anything external, anything you can count, anything that proves you matter.

I see the real you, the one choking under the weight of perceived or self‑inflicted expectations.

And I’m here to tell you something you might not believe yet:

A diamond is worthy even when it’s not set in a necklace.

You Don’t Need Permission, But I’m Giving It Anyway

Stop.

Just for a day. Just for 24 hours, maybe 48 if you’re brave.

Not forever. Not dramatically. Just pause the game you’ve been playing—the one where your value is determined by outcomes, achievements, and how wanted you are.

Here’s what I’m inviting you to do instead: Observe.

That’s it. Just observe.

• What do you do throughout your day?
• What feels right in your body, in your heart and what doesn’t?
• When do you feel like yourself, and when do you feel like you’re performing?
• What makes you reach for your phone, your to‑do list, someone’s attention?

You don’t have to fix anything. You don’t have to change anything. You just have to pay attention and notice.

Take notes if that helps. Scribble in a journal. Make a grading scale or a fancy spreadsheet if that’s your language. Make it as simple or as sophisticated as you want—this is for you, not for anyone else. The point is simply to acknowledge what you notice.

When I finally gave myself permission to stop and observe, I learned something surprising: I didn’t know who I was without the noise.

That’s where Part 2 begins.

Hugs!
~Varada