Rebellion doesn’t happen in a moment of sudden change

I call it rebellion because it often requires fighting like hell to climb out of the place we’re stuck in. Recognizing it is only the beginning—it’s often followed by waves of grief, anger, and uncertainty.

I still feel it.

For every step forward, those feelings live deep within me. And it makes sense. Everything I once pushed down needs to be felt and faced before I can truly move through it.

There’s a reason it’s hard

Even when things aren’t working, it can feel safer to stay than to step into the unknown. 

And I hate that after so much hard work, the shame, fear, and loneliness still show up from time to time.

Maybe today, rebellion looks like refusing to stuff those feelings down and paste on a happy face.

Authenticity over perfection 

I’ve chosen authenticity over the pursuit of perfection. That choice has brought me happiness, satisfaction, joy, and love I never thought I’d feel so fully.

But becoming someone new doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a slow process—often vacillating between scary and exciting.

It takes a thousand quiet choices

Small acts of questioning, testing, noticing what feels better… and what doesn’t.

It’s uncomfortable. It’s uncertain. And it’s impossible to know if it will be worth it, until one day, you look back.

When I look back at the last year and a half, I feel proud. 

• Proud of the steps I’ve taken to find myself.
• Proud of the hard choices I’ve made.
• Proud of the tears, the losses, and the truth I’ve stopped running from.

And proud of the happiness I’ve found in letting go of a carefully constructed life that no longer fits.

Ask yourself the questions you fear most

If you’re feeling like something’s not quite right, even if you can’t explain it, listen.

Instead of telling yourself “it has to be this way,” ask why. And then ask again. We often already know what we haven’t yet allowed ourselves to admit.

And listening—truly listening—is the first quiet rebellion. The first step in becoming more fully yourself.

Be rebellious. Live boldly.