“I was done being the girl who played small.”

Ever been so low you stop washing, eating, or caring how you look? That was me. A breakup, a Covid layoff, and a disappearing sense of direction collided until I slipped into a quiet depression. I moved through my days apologetically, trying not to take up space. One morning I caught my reflection and barely recognized myself. Not just physically, spiritually. I looked like someone waiting for permission to exist. That scared me more than the breakup. So I walked into a gym. I could not lift the bar properly. My arms trembled. My confidence trembled harder. But I kept showing up. Muscle replaced fragility. Boundaries replaced hesitation. I stopped shrinking. I was not rebuilding a body. I was reclaiming territory. You were never small. You were just waiting to rise.