You Don't Always Have to Perform

Not Everyone is for You

Beloved,

Listen. You don’t have to prove yourself every time someone decides to test you. You already know who you are — the only real question is whether you’re going to act like it.

There’s a quiet kind of power in not reacting. There’s real strength in letting people talk themselves into corners while you just... watch. It takes maturity to choose silence when making noise would feel so much better, and it takes discipline to hold your ground without turning it into a performance.

Honey, you’re not here to win arguments. You’re here to win your life. That requires control — not over other people, but over yourself. Anyone can explode. Anyone can get defensive or demand to be respected. That’s easy. What’s hard is staying grounded without needing anyone to see you do it.

So if something no longer fits you, you don’t have to make an announcement. If someone misreads you, you don’t have to run after their understanding. If a door closes, you don’t have to kick it. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is straighten your collar and keep moving — no speech, no drama, no explanation required.

And if people mistake your calm for weakness? Let them. You’re not weak nor shrinking from a fight. You’re composed, and composed people move through the world differently than everyone else.

Now sit up straight. Clear your throat. Drink some water. We’re grown.

—Papa Eli