For so many years, I searched for acceptance in the eyes of everyone except myself.

I spent more time questioning my worth than celebrating it. I learned to hide the parts of me I thought were too different, too much, or not enough. Then one day, I stopped looking for permission and started looking inward. In that quiet reflection, I met the person I had been searching for all along. I realized I was never invisible. I simply needed to see myself with love before I could believe anyone else would.