I learned this the hard way… I used to ignore my Board of Directors. I thought being strong meant, making my own decisions, standing my ground, and not giving a damn what everyone thought. What I didn’t understand was that sometimes the people who loved me weren’t trying to control me. They were trying to show me what I couldn’t see in myself. I’ve learned that freedom without self-awareness can become selfish really fucking fast. So now, when someone I love tells me that something I said or done has affected them, I pay attention. I may not agree. I may not change my mind. But I listen. Because the people I love deserve to be considered in the way I move through this world. Growth wasn’t learning to care less about what people think of me, it was learning, whose opinion should actually matter. #selfreflection #breakingpatterns #charactermatters #growthmindset #emotionalmaturity