i am now back home in the states. it's day 4, and nothing has changed around here.

routines, conversations, and people have all stayed, well, stagnant.

but one thing for sure is, i haven't.

and i think alot of people underestimate how much you can change in a very short period of time. in fact, my eyes are so much more open to the things and happenings going on around me. i have realized how much of a bubble i was in prior to living abroad, and how the environment you are put in ultimately contributes to how you become as a person.

breaking out of that bubble was the best thing i ever did. and here is why:

the night i came back home, my family was having a conversation (which i will not openly discuss) in our living room.

then my name was mentioned. the old me would've taken offense and commented on what was being said. but now, i just let them, and whoever wants to talk, talk.

the key to all of this: just stay silent. and learn to say nothing about your personal or life changing endeavors you are currently taking on.

being an open book, i would always tell my friends and family updates on what is going on in my life.

i used to believe such transparency was supposed to be liberating and keeping people informed was good. but now, i find it to be more self-sabotaging.

because the cold hard truth is, that even the people who are closest to you want to see you fail at whatever you're doing. most often because they are unhappy, or have never experienced // have yet to experience what you're going through, and want you to so desperately stay within the bounds of what they understand and nothing else.

moving forward in my life, i learned that there is grace in silence. at the end of the day, the actions you take will always speak louder than words. i know for a fact that i am pouring my heart into the things that will contribute to my future.

and that really should concern nobody else, except for myself.