the moment the mirror said: this isn’t you

I didn’t change anything.

Same clothes. Same morning routine. Same mirror above the sink.

But one day — something was off.

Not my face. Not the lighting.
Just… the reflection.
It felt like I was watching a performance I forgot I signed up for.

The smile was still there. The outfit was still polished.
But behind the eyes — I couldn’t find myself.

It’s a strange thing to feel unrecognizable in your own life.
To realize the version of you that fit so well in the world
was never truly yours to begin with.

It wasn’t a breakdown.
It was a moment of seeing clearly.

And once you see it — you can’t unsee it.

This isn’t about rejection.
It’s about reclamation.

Of your expression.
Of your no.
Of the right to not wear a mask just because it made others comfortable.

Because the mirror doesn’t lie.
But it will reflect whatever version of you you keep putting forward.

Even when you’re gone.

✧ quiet prompt:

When did you last feel unrecognizable in your own life?
Who was the version of you staring back — and what did she need?

✧ underneath this story:

Not all performances are loud. Some are soft, practiced, and mistaken for “you.”

If you’ve ever been praised for being agreeable, calm, or “so easy to be around”…
you might’ve been performing safety.

→ read: the performance that kept you liked — but never seen