“You are not your anxiety. You are the person who feels it — and that means you can learn to let it go.” Sis, I need you to hear something real. If I had a dollar for every time a young woman told me “I’m just an anxious person” like it was tattooed on her birth certificate, I could pay off your student loans. And mine. Here is the hard truth: anxiety is not a personality trait. It is not who you are.
“I have everything under control. I am just exhausted all the time. But that is normal, right?” Hey sis. Let me stop you right there. If you are reading this and your chest already feels tight, your to-do list has its own to-do list, and you cannot remember the last time you actually relaxed without feeling guilty… girl, I see you. What you are dealing with has a name, and it is called high functioning anxiety. And no, it is not just “being
“The next time someone tells you to ‘just calm down,’ remind them that your anxiety isn’t a switch you can flip—it’s a signal your body is sending because it’s trying to protect you from something real.” Sis, if one more person tells you to “just breathe” while your heart is racing so fast you can feel it in your ears, I swear. That advice is about as useful as telling someone drowning to “just swim harder.” Your anxiety isn’t a character flaw. It’s
“Your anxiety is not a prophecy. It is a sensation. And sensations pass — if you let them.” Sis, let’s be real for a second. You know that feeling when your chest tightens out of nowhere, and suddenly you are spiraling about that text you sent three hours ago, the tuition payment due Friday, and whether your roommate secretly hates you — all at the same time? Yeah, that is anxiety. And it is not just in your head. It is in your
“It felt like my heart was trying to escape through my throat, and nobody else in the lecture hall seemed to notice.” You know that feeling when your chest gets tight and your brain starts screaming at you, but you have to sit there and act normal? Yeah, that is anxiety. And sis, it is not just “in your head” — it is happening in your actual body. I remember sitting in my sophomore year psych class, hands shaking so bad I could
“You don’t have to start over. You just have to reach back.” Okay, let’s talk about something that keeps way too many of us stuck: reconnecting with old friendships. You know the feeling. You scroll through your contacts and see a name that makes you smile — but then your thumb hovers. Your brain starts spinning: Is it weird that I haven’t texted in six months? What if she thinks I’m only reaching out because I need something? What if she’s moved on
“Not every friendship is meant to last forever. Some are meant to teach you a lesson, walk with you through a season, and then let you go.” Sis, let’s talk about something that nobody told you and that still makes you feel guilty AF: friendships ending. Not because of a fight. Not because someone did something wrong. But simply because you grew apart. You know that friend from high school who you used to text every single day? The one who knew your
“The people who are meant to be in your life will water your garden, not burn it down and ask why you’re crying.” Let’s be real for a second, sis. You know that sinking feeling in your chest when you see her name pop up on your phone. That little knot in your stomach when she asks to hang out. The way you feel drained instead of energized after you spend time together. That is not anxiety you need to push through. That
“The quality of your life is the quality of your friendships — but only if those friendships don’t cost you yourself.” Sis, let’s be real for a second. Friendship is one of those things nobody teaches you how to actually do well. You just kind of figure it out by trial and error — and a lot of error. You’ve probably had that one friend who drained you, that group chat that stressed you out, or that moment where you realized you were
“The people who are meant to be in your life will not make you beg for a seat at their table.” Let’s talk about something that hits different the second you hit 16, 20, or 25. Your friendships start shifting. And not in a subtle, gentle way. In a “wait, did I do something wrong?” kind of way. Here is the truth nobody told you about growing up: your friendships get smaller. Not because you are unlovable. Not because you are difficult. But
“I thought losing a boyfriend was the worst pain. Then my best friend stopped talking to me and I realized I had no idea what heartbreak actually was.” Let’s be real for a second, sis. You’ve been through a friendship breakup and you’re still trying to figure out why it hurts more than any ex-boyfriend ever did. And here’s the truth nobody tells you: it does. I remember sitting in my dorm room sophomore year after my best friend since middle school ghosted
“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, but also you after realizing you haven’t made a new friend since sophomore year. Okay sis, let’s talk about something nobody warns you about. You graduate high school or college, and suddenly making friendships feels like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded. It is awkward, it is confusing, and honestly? It feels a little
“Sometimes the most loving thing you can do for a friendship is let it go. Not because it failed. Because you both grew.” Sis, let’s talk about something nobody tells you. We spend so much time talking about how to make friends, how to keep friends, how to be a good friend. But nobody ever sits you down and tells you that outgrowing a friendship is actually a normal, healthy part of life. In fact, the average person loses about half of their
“I went to dinner alone and realized I had never actually asked myself what I wanted. I just always waited for someone else to decide.” Okay sis, let’s talk about something that sounds terrifying but will actually change your life: a solo date. I know, I know. The thought of sitting at a restaurant by yourself or wandering around a museum alone might make your stomach flip. But hear me out, because this is one of those things nobody tells you that you
“Rest is not a reward for finishing. Rest is the fuel that lets you start anything worth finishing.” Sis, I need you to hear me on something. You are running on fumes, and you think that is a flex. You are waking up at 6 AM to study before your 8 AM class, pulling all-nighters for that internship application, working a shift at the café on Saturday, and then scrolling TikTok until 2 AM because it is the only time nobody needs anything