"You realized no matter how high you climb ... the elevation just makes it colder"
- Taylor Swift
To the brainy ones whose A’s came easily, and were the nerds who were left out
To the empaths who feel deeply both your AND everyone else’s highs and lows — who’ve been told you’re too sensitive
To the athletes who win gold medals, even when it’s an “off” day
To the mystics who sense invisible things that transcend logic, who’ve been told you’re too “woo” and not “evidence based”
To the creatives who translate the invisible into art, music, writing, dance, or theater — in ways most people think is “magic”
I see you shine at the highest peaks of human performanceI see you fall and rise stronger than before
I see you attributing your gifts to hard work or luck, though deep down, you know it’s just a gift
I see you crediting others for your success to deflect the spotlight from you
I see you working harder than you need to, because hard work is relatable and respectable to your peers and family
I see you feeling torn between fitting in and standing out — feeling damned if you do, and damned if you don’t
I see you hiding the embarrassment you feel for succeeding behind the praise you receive for being “humble” — because who are you to be anything but grateful for your success?
I see you wishing someone just GOT itYes — it’s glorious to be exceptional
Yes — you can feel proud and grateful
Yes — you can honor your hard work and thank others
ANDYes — it can feel cold at the top
Yes — as the air thins, it can feel lonely and strangling
Yes — what goes up must come down, and few will understand what it feels like when you do
You WANT to stand out and live in your greatness
But you also desire to be held, seen, and understood as a human with unsexy and vulnerable parts too
I see you wanting to feel normal yet knowing you’re different, unsure how to discuss your gifts without weirding others out
And I see you ready to expand into your next chapter, bubbling with excitement yet fearing the discomfort of rising away from the familiar yet again, distancing yourself from people who love you
That’s because I’m on the mountain with you
I’ve got a parka, an oxygen tank, crampons & trekking poles
It’s okay to climb higher
You don’t have to do it alone
You belong here
Now let’s fcking go 🏔️🎿⛏️
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