It was a point of contention in a former relationship. “Don’t you ever relax? You’re so keyed up.”
“It’s time that you gave yourself a chance. We all trust you so much. You should trust yourself too. We want that for you.”
“You know how you always want more for the people you love?” he says. “We want that for you, too.”
I sigh. I can piece together what he’s saying, connect the dots, and understand how it makes logical sense. But it’s so hard for me to feel it.
Maybe temporarily lowered expectations is a form of self-love I can actually get behind. Not the self-aggrandizing kind of self-love where I think I’m all that and a bag of chips or can do no wrong. But one where I can extend a little grace to myself when I’m struggling, allow myself a slower day without guilt. A self-love where I can trust myself to catch up later on the slack I’ve cut myself.
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