Fierce, but Not Without Edges

I’ve taken a break from writing these past few weeks. Not because I’ve run out of words, but because I needed space to listen to myself without trying to put it all on paper. Life has been loud — full of demands, full of motion — and I realized I needed to step back, quiet the noise, and do some real soul work.

In that space, I found myself digging deeper than I expected. I wasn’t just reflecting lightly; I was turning things over, pulling them apart, questioning myself in ways I hadn’t before. And what I uncovered surprised me.

I’ve always known I’m strong. I’m fierce. My strength has carried me through storms, built resilience where others might have broken, and given me the fire to keep going when the easier choice would have been to stop. But here’s the paradox I’ve been sitting with: strength, in the wrong measure, can just as easily become weakness.

My determination? It’s one of my greatest assets. It’s what pushes me to lead, to fight, to build. Yet when it goes unchecked, it turns into sheer stubbornness — and I can find myself clinging to battles long after they’ve stopped deserving me.

My loyalty? It roots me, grounds me, and keeps me aligned with my values. But taken too far, loyalty ties me to places, people, or patterns that I should have released.

My resilience? It’s what people admire most about me — the way I don’t quit. But even resilience can backfire. Sometimes it means I endure things that aren’t mine to carry, confusing survival with strength.

And my eye for detail — it’s made me effective, sharp, able to see the pieces others might miss. But pushed too far, it becomes overthinking, perfectionism, and self-critique that stalls more than it serves.

This realization hasn’t left me feeling defeated. If anything, it’s sharpened me. It reminded me that strength isn’t about being unbreakable or untouchable. True strength is knowing your own edges — understanding when your fire is fueling you and when it’s burning you out.

I am strong. I am fierce. But I am also learning. Learning when to pull back, when to pivot, when to soften, when to let go. That doesn’t make me less. It makes me more — more aware, more balanced, more intentional.

Because the goal isn’t to burn hotter. The goal is to burn smarter.