The Hard Truth About Staying in the Storm Too Long
Survival Is My Superpower—But Is It Holding Me Back?
Dear Adventurers,
What if nothing changed?
What if the storm never passed, the weight never lifted, and the chaos never quieted? Could you keep going?
I’ve asked myself this question more times than I can count. Every time, I tell myself I could—because I always have. Survival has been my default. Strength, my shield. But lately, another voice has emerged. A quieter, wiser voice. One that challenges me to ask a different question:
Should I?
This is a conversation between me and my higher self—a dialogue between the part of me that knows how to endure and the part that longs to be free. If you’ve ever felt stuck in self-sabotaging patterns, afraid to leave what’s familiar even when it hurts, I invite you to listen in.
Maybe you’ll hear your voice in this, too.
If you had to live one more day in the storm, could you do it?
Of course, I could. I’m strong.
If you had to endure one more week of the relentless downpour, could you do it?
Of course, I could. I can do it all.
If you had to weather one more month of emotional hurricanes, could you do it?
Of course, I could. I’m a survivor.
If you had to endure one more year of negativity drowning your mind, could you do it?
I guess… I mean—of course, I could! I have faith!
If you had to navigate three more years of cataclysmic winds battering your heart, could you do it?
But how could… Sorry, I meant to say—of course, I could! I’m strong! (Didn’t I already say that?!)
If you had to survive five more years of fearsome waves eroding your will to live, could you do it?
What else am I supposed to say?! Of course, I could. I don’t want to—
but what’s the alternative?
The violence.
The pain.
The burdens that are not mine to bear.
The sleepless nights.
The fear.
The anxiety.
The deep darkness that colors the world gray.
This is all I know.
Could I live it?
Yes. I could.
I do it all the time.
What else is out there?
If I say no, will things magically get better?
When— IF I say no…
The uproar.
The outrage.
The pain.
It will be like no other. And…
I’m scared.
Scared to leave.
Scared to dream.
Scared to hope.
Because if I lose—
If I fail after everything I’ve done to survive—
It will break me.
At least here, I know what to expect.
They say you can’t miss what you’ve never had.
So, I don’t want to taste it.
To feel.
Freedom.
It’s not for me.
I hear you. I see you. I love you.
But please, listen.
I know you could keep going. You’ve endured for so long.
Let’s change the question.
A better question: Should you?
The real question: Would you?
Probably.
What is the payoff for staying the same?
The unknown scares me.
Here, at least I know things are hard.
If I leave, who can guarantee freedom won’t hurt me too?
You, dear one—addicted to patterns, allergic to change.
Truth is
It all hurts.
The beauty of life is that we get to choose what pain we allow.
The trauma that exists in our bones—
or
the anxiety of dreaming bigger than we ever thought possible…
Things could be grand—
Or simply ordinary, a strange contrast to chaos, yet a breath of fresh air for your wounded soul.
Are you ready?
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?
I’ll take your hand.
We can leave together.
I am with you.
I have faith that we should, could, and would choose peace.
Okay. I’ll try.
Much Love,
Jae
A Thought for Your Journey
Endurance is not the same as peace. Survival is not the same as freedom. At some point, the question is no longer "Can I keep going?" but "Do I want to live like this forever?"
You are strong enough to endure, but you are also worthy enough to choose something greater. 💛
Or, If you’d like to support my work in a simple, meaningful way, you can buy me a cup of coffee ☕✨
Healing Roots, Transforming Stories, Cultivating You
Much Love, Jae