No one ever told me, “Hey — you’re doing a great job. You’re so awesome.” And kids really benefit from hearing that.

Parents SHOULD be saying these things to their kids. Pouring into them, talking them up.

Not consuming them like a black hole and leaving the child in a constant state of depletion and seeking what they didn’t get.

I think that’s where the black hole actually begins: seeking the love that you never got. And it hurts so badly that you’ll fill it from anywhere, consuming anything in your path, even your own kids.

Whatever your situation looks like, know that anxiety doesn’t have to be a companion you carry with you forever. And it certainly doesn’t have to be your authority figure!

You CAN decide what you want your life to look like. No one has to “let you” anymore. You have the tools to handle life from an empowered place, maybe you just weren’t taught how to use them yet.