Reclaiming the Parts of Me That Got Lost

Blog Series - Beyond the labels, who Am I

Life has a way of hardening us. Not because we’re weak, but because we’ve had to be strong for far too long.
Somewhere between surviving the hurt, navigating the chaos, and trying to hold everything together, pieces of us slip quietly into the background.

But healing isn’t just about letting go of the pain.
It’s about remembering the parts of you that disappeared while you were trying to stay alive.

Who were you before life hardened you?

Before the disappointments, before the survival mode, before you learned to silence your needs just to keep peace.

You were more than the woman who endured.
You were more than the labels, the expectations, the roles you had to play.

You were:

The Playful Parts

The version of you who didn’t overthink every move.
The girl who laughed from her stomach, who danced without self-consciousness, who found joy in the ordinary.
Somewhere along the journey, she learned to “act right,” to tone it down, to be responsible and her light dimmed.

The Hopeful Parts

The dreamer.
The one who saw possibility instead of danger.
The part of you that believed things could get better, that your life could be more than just getting through the day.
But life teaches us to expect disappointment, and hope begins to feel unsafe.

The Creative Parts

The expressive, curious soul.
The one who coloured outside the lines, wrote stories, built worlds, made beauty out of nothing.
But survival mode doesn’t leave much room for creativity — it teaches you to prioritise what keeps you afloat, not what makes you come alive.

The Parts That Believed They Were Worthy

The most sacred part:
The version of you who knew, without question, that she deserved love, care, attention, rest, softness.
Until the world convinced her otherwise.
Until people made her doubt herself.
Until pain became the loudest voice in the room.