Shame was a constant companion for me long before I had language for it. It showed up as a quiet voice saying I wasn’t enough — not smart enough, strong enough, or worthy enough to be fully seen. For years, I tried to outrun it by hiding, performing, or numbing out. What changed wasn’t getting rid of shame, but learning to meet it with kindness instead of force. I came to see it not as a flaw, but as a signal that parts of me needed understanding and care. The space I offer now is for bringing that voice into the open, without judgment. Not to fix it, but to listen to it gently until it no longer has to run your life.