One of the hardest and most heartbreaking experiences in life is when you realize you can no longer live up to the pressure of being who everyone thinks you are.

You try to be who they want you to be or who you think they want you to be.

When the paradigm of who you thought you were collapses it can be soul crushing.

There are countless stories of people who seemed to have it all only to kill themselves. I suspect many of them were going through this and feared speaking up because a wave of disappointment from those close to them could follow.

I feel like I’m going through this now.

I’m choosing to stay engaged even though it’s terrifying.

Many of you have messaged me with sagely insight and kindness for which I’m profoundly grateful.

It got me thinking about the opportunity in this. I thought of the butterfly.

A caterpillar turns into a goo inside the cocoon as part of its transformation into a butterfly.

The caterpillar is destroyed before it can become a butterfly.

I feel like the goo right now. Knowing I may be able to emerge a butterfly is encouraging.

The goo phase sure does suck though.