I write a gratitude entry every day and sometimes I turn them into blog posts

There comes a point in life when you realize that protecting your peace is just as important as protecting your heart.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to understand how important it is to pay attention to the energy around me — the people I allow into my life, the situations I put myself in, and the environments that either help me grow or slowly drain me.

I live in a community where people can sometimes act like young kids. One moment people will build you up, and the next they will try to tear you down. For a long time, I tried to help everyone. I always wanted to see the good in people. I wanted to believe that kindness would always be returned with kindness.

Sometimes it was.

But other times, it left me emotionally exhausted, hurt, and questioning myself.

The last time I found myself in one of those situations, something inside me finally spoke louder than my need to be accepted.

It simply said:
This doesn’t feel right for me anymore.

And for once, I listened to myself.

That may sound small to some people, but for me, it was growth.

There was a time in my life when I surrounded myself with the wrong people. Back then, I didn’t fully understand why things always felt so emotionally heavy. I thought the problem was everyone else. But over time, I realized I was the one allowing myself to stay in unhealthy energy, unhealthy situations, and around people who did not truly value me.

I think sometimes when you spend your life wanting connection, understanding, or acceptance, you can accidentally ignore your own instincts just to feel like you belong somewhere.

But that version of me —
the one who ignored her peace just to fit in —
is no longer the woman I want to be.

Today, I am grateful for the people in my life who genuinely support me, who I trust, and who trust me in return. The people who bring calm instead of chaos. The people who allow me to feel safe being myself.

I’ve learned that protecting my peace is not selfish.
It is not wrong.
It is growth.

Especially as someone living with cerebral palsy, stress affects me deeply — emotionally, mentally, and physically. I’ve had to learn that constantly surrounding myself with negativity only makes life harder for me. Peace is not a luxury in my life anymore. It is necessary.

And maybe one of the strongest things we can do as we grow older is learn to walk away from what no longer feels right for our spirit.

Not out of anger.
Not out of hate.
But out of self-respect.

Because growth is not only about becoming stronger.

Sometimes growth is learning who and what deserves access to your energy in the first place.

“Growth is learning to choose the people and energy that bring out the best in you.”

— Marie W.O.W.C.P.
Seeing the beauty between the challenges.