Let's talk about the words people use to make you feel like your existence is a problem. "You're intimidating." "You're too intense." "You're too much." "You're being dramatic." "You need to chill." "You're too sensitive." "Can't you just be easy?" If you've heard any version of this especially from people you wanted connection with, people you were vulnerable with, people you thought were safe here's what actually happened: You had needs. You expressed desire. You set a bo

You're doing everything right. The morning routine is locked in. You're journaling, meditating, using the right face oils, buying the ethically sourced sage. You've got the therapist, the supplements, the boundary scripts saved in your notes app. You're performing wellness like it's a fucking Olympic sport. And you're still exhausted. Here's why: Self-care got colonized. What started as a radical actBlack feminists and activists insisting that rest is resistance in a system

If you're always the one listening, fixing, holding space, and managing everyone's emotions while yours get dismissed as "too much," you're not empathetic. You're not kind. You're not a good friend, daughter, partner, or coworker. You're being exploited. And the fucked up part? They've convinced you that this is a virtue. That being the person everyone vents to makes you special. That your ability to absorb everyone's chaos without ever burdening them with yours is what mak

There's a word that explains more about toxic relationships, media manipulation, and collective trauma than any other concept I know. The word is "binding" - and understanding how it works could save you from being trapped by people, systems, and cultural narratives that want to consume your energy for their own purposes.