The Green Ribbon Project, Volume 4: Growth

She was shy and timid. Afraid of what would be said and what judgment would be passed.

She would stay up all night wondering what she did wrong and how she could fix it.

She would sit and cry about how she wasn't good enough and overanalyze the “mistakes” she made.

She would stare at her phone just waiting for a text back.

She made herself smaller so they could feel big.

She kept her thoughts to herself in fear of making them upset.

She found her happiness in making sure everyone else was happy.

She would always say yes.

She couldn’t say no.

She put herself last.

And then, she had an awakening.

She got sick of worrying about others when no one was worried about her.

She was tired of overthinking and replaying scenarios in her mind trying to search for a better outcome.

She was tired of feeling small, shy and quiet.

It was a revolution.

She put in the work to change who she was.

She put up boundaries.

She put herself and her mental health FIRST

And now….

I am confident in myself.

I don't care about others' judgments of me because I KNOW who I am.

I find peace in knowing I can only control my actions and not the actions of others.

I won't wait for anybody.

I am outspoken and will not shrink to make anyone feel superior to me.

I find happiness in making myself happy

I don't need the validation of others to know my worth.

I know how to say no.

I put myself first.

Everything “she” was, is everything I am not, and I will never be her again.

-Jess Carae of The Green Ribbon Project