For a long time, I told myself that nothing could hurt or damage me because I was mentally strong, but the truth is, it wasn’t mental strength protecting me, it was the armour I had built around myself. True mental strength isn’t about suppressing or minimising emotions, it’s about learning how to manage them in a healthy and productive way. Now, I’ve come to a place where I can handle those challenging feelings much better. I’ve realised that, often, the emotions I face aren’t entirely about the present moment, they’re connected to unresolved parts of my history. Recognising this has been a key step in my growth, helping me understand that to truly move forward, I need to address those deeper layers.