{"id":5597,"date":"2026-06-03T14:33:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T14:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/?p=5597"},"modified":"2026-06-03T14:33:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T14:33:54","slug":"powerful-reasons-to-strongly-choose-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/powerful-reasons-to-strongly-choose-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Powerful Reasons to strongly choose yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look, I\u2019m not gonna sugarcoat this,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because you\u2019ve already swallowed enough bitter pills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I need you to look at your phone screen right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drop the reflection. Drop the filters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How long are you gonna keep sitting at tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where disrespect is the only thing on the menu?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How long are you gonna let people text you at 3 AM,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With apology drafts that mean absolutely nothing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While you sit there shaking your head,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sighing, and saying, &#8220;Well, if it\u2019s meant to be, it\u2019s meant to be&#8221;?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stop it. Just stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The universe isn&#8217;t testing your ability to absorb pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody is coming to hand you a trophy,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For being the most patient victim in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are out here letting people walk all over your peace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like it\u2019s a cheap welcome mat,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tracking dirt all over your mental health,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then you wonder why your soul feels muddy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You wonder why you wake up anxious at 7 AM,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a heavy chest and a racing mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s because you are volunteering,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are choosing,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To stay in the line of fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen to me, dear stranger: Understand your value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when you figure out what that number is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put some heavy tax on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inflation is real, life is expensive,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the cost of your peace of mind just went way up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You cannot afford to give discounts,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To people who treat you like a seasonal clearance item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stop playing the victim card,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you are the one holding the entire deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You didn\u2019t choose to get hurt, I get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody asks to have their trust shattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trauma wasn&#8217;t your fault,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The betrayal wasn&#8217;t your fault,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cold shoulders weren&#8217;t your fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But healing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Healing is a solo mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a personal decision,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That requires you to get up,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wipe your eyes, and look at the exit sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to start burning bridges,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That only lead you back to places where you were miserable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let the flames light up your way forward,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let the fire show you where to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Communicate your worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set the boundary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Say &#8220;no&#8221; without giving A three-paragraph explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stop checking up on people,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who aren&#8217;t checking up on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be unapologetically choosy today,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because if you don&#8217;t demand respect at the front door,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The world will gladly hand you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scraps out back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@WalkingShadowPoetryKenya\">Walking Shadow Poetry Kenya &#8211; YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/r\/1KYf6YHns1\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/r\/1KYf6YHns1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/\">Walking Shadow Poetry &#8211; Grow from what\u2019s meant to kill you.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Look, I\u2019m not gonna sugarcoat this, Because you\u2019ve already swallowed enough bitter pills. I need you to look at your phone screen right now. Drop the reflection. Drop the filters. How long are you gonna keep sitting at tables. Where disrespect is the only thing on the menu? How long are you gonna let people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_20220207_231502-scaled.jpg?fit=1708%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2991,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/walking-away-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":0},"title":"Walking Away by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"spoken word. I never thought walking away could feel like thisLike carrying the weight of the world in my chest,Yet leaving with empty hands.It\u2019s funny how you can give so much,Pour yourself out, drop by drop,And still feel like it was never enough. You see, I stayed.I stayed through the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-20-120246.png?fit=441%2C513&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2660,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/hold-on-to-hope-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":1},"title":"Hold on to hope by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"When you\u2019ve given your heart so freely,and it\u2019s met with just temporary delight,it\u2019s hard to see that love you offeris just a moment in their night. They come and go,like shadows in the sun,taking your warmth,but never wanting to stay.It\u2019s painful to realize,that your heart was just a stopon their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-20444065.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3146,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/when-its-time-to-stop-chasing-people-spoken-word\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":2},"title":"When It&#8217;s Time to Stop Chasing People | Spoken Word.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"March 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"You\u2019ve called\u2026But no one\u2019s picking up.You\u2019ve sent messages,Words full of hope, full of heart,Yet, the silence is the only thing that speaks back.And it\u2019s not once, not twice,It\u2019s every time you reach out,Trying to prove they matter in your world. And quietly, you\u2019ve been pleading,Not with your words, but with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3565ae6370fcdf27ddf9c059fd01ad27.jpg?fit=236%2C330&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3305,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-almost-lost-everything-to-alcohol-until-god-stepped-in\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":3},"title":"&#8220;I Almost Lost Everything to Alcohol \u2014 Until God Stepped In&#8221;","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"May 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a time I couldn\u2019t stop.I told myself \u201cjust one last drop.\u201dBut one turned into two, then more,And soon I couldn\u2019t find the door. At first, I drank to ease the pain,To feel some joy, to stop the rain.But after a while, I couldn\u2019t lie,The drink became my reason\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/f9bc56184aa2ea128664bb94d7b698fc.jpg?fit=236%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3330,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/we-survived-what-was-meant-to-destroy-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":4},"title":"\u201cWe Survived What Was Meant to Destroy Us\u201d","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"June 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Walking Shadow Poetry Life doesn\u2019t always send warnings before it breaks us. Some of us have walked through seasons that nearly destroyed everything inside yet here we are. Still breathing. Still building. Still becoming. This piece is a reflection, not just of pain, but of the quiet strength it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"photo of person standing on grass field during golden hour","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-3550518.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-3550518.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-3550518.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-3550518.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2694,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/let-go-and-love-yourself-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":5597,"position":5},"title":"Let Go and Love Yourself by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I know you\u2019ve been waiting,Hoping, wishing they\u2019d see,That all you ever neededWas their time, their love, just to be. But every call feels forced,Every moment, a fight,You're begging for attention,And it doesn\u2019t feel right. I see how hard you\u2019re trying,To hold onto this thread,But love isn\u2019t meant to be one-sided,It\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"anonymous woman demonstrating burning paper sheet with title","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5323336.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5323336.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5323336.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5323336.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5323336.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5597"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5601,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5597\/revisions\/5601"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}