Things I Wish I Knew Sooner

I thought love meant never leaving

So I held on when I should've let go

I learned silence doesn't mean healing

And sometimes it's okay to say "no"

I gave too much to people who drained me

Tried to fix what was never mine to mend

I wore a smile when I was breaking

Thinking strength meant never bending in the end

But pain taught me how to listen

And heartbreak turned into wisdom

These are the things I wish I knew sooner

Like you don't owe the world your light when you're dim

And falling apart's not a failure

It's where the real rebuilding begins

That loving myself isn't selfish

That saying goodbye is sometimes a win

These are the truths I carry like armor

Things I wish I knew back then

I chased dreams just to prove I was worthy

To people who never really saw me

I dimmed my spark to keep the peace

While burning down pieces of me quietly

Tried to earn love through perfection

But it never made me feel complete

Now I know flaws are just reflections

Of the soul learning to be free

Now every scar tells a story

Of how I learned to love the real me

These are the things I wish I knew sooner

Like it's okay to walk away from the crowd

That peace is louder than approval

And it's brave to speak your truth out loud

That time won't heal what you keep hiding

And it's safe to break, to scream, to cry

These are the truths that saved me from drowning

Things I wish I knew in time

You don't have to shrink to fit into their world

Don't trade your fire just to be their girl

Forgive yourself for not knowing before

Now you know, you can soar

These are the things I wish I knew sooner

Like how strength lives in softness too

That every ending brings a lesson

And every fall brings something new

That love begins with your reflection

And you deserve the love you give away

These are the truths I whisper to my younger heart

When I don't know what to say

Yeah, these are the things I wish I knew

But I know them now — and that's enough to get me through