Status Updates From She Is Me

It speaks directly to years of waiting, measuring myself, and surviving in spaces where love felt conditional or earned. It names the quiet harm of being evaluated, compared, or endured rather than chosen. Reading it now, I’m on the other side—no longer asking to be picked, but recognizing I was always meant to be seen, valued, and cherished without having to prove anything. My worth was never dependent on approval.

It reminded me that surviving deep hardship can lead to strength, confidence, and clarity, transforming resilience into an unshakable belief in oneself.

Reading She Is Me by Vishakha Jain
On page 91, this line stood out to me:

“You are worth keeping,
worth committing to,
worth making a priority,
and worth loving.”

Sometimes, the most powerful reminders are the simplest ones, especially when they affirm self-worth without conditions.

That page resonated because it names what I’ve been doing all along: turning pain into language so someone else doesn’t feel isolated inside theirs.

The author speaks about having a vision and a plan for the future. Healing deeply enough to break generational patterns rather than repeat them. That message felt powerful to me. The growth here isn’t rushed or performative but intentional. Healing becomes the foundation for dreaming again, not just surviving.

Valuing yourself changes the way you show up in the world, and not everyone is comfortable with that. This passage felt like permission to honor my own boundaries without apology.

On page 27, the author speaks about becoming protective of herself after everything she’s endured. That moment stayed with me. Sometimes, that protectiveness is misunderstood, mistaken for distance, pride, or being “too good.” But what I saw was something deeper: self-respect. When you’ve been broken enough times, learning to put yourself first isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.

Page 3 reflects on the courage it takes to leave what drains you and how silence can sometimes be an act of self-respect.

Another line that resonated was the idea that she cannot allow the past to decide who she is, what she is capable of, or all that she can achieve. That felt powerful—like a declaration of reclaiming self-worth. It’s the kind of reminder that belongs on a wall, something to return to when doubt creeps in.

Early on, the book speaks about forgiving without needing an apology, and that gave me pause. That’s something I still wrestle with, especially when apologies have been repeated but empty. I am forgiving by nature, but I also believe some wounds require boundaries rather than release—and that honesty made this reading experience feel real and human.

Reading She Is Me felt reflective and grounding from the very first pages. One quote that immediately stood out to me was by Mark Anthony: “And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire…”—a reminder of inner strength I felt deeply connected to, and one I plan to explore further by this poet.