[_proofs]

i feel similarly and have had an adjacent experience with anxiety. the more i got to know myself, and the more i've accepted myself over the years, the more i've found myself self-advocating and validating my own existence (to myself) -- i do not need to prove or justify it to others, and i have been working on keeping this mantra alive.

a large part of this experience has been overcoming things by applying a healthy dose of, "fuck it -- this is for me." [1]

[1] obviously one can suggest there is an element of hedonism or selfishness inherent in the attitude, but i think we can appreciate framing it in the context of not using this attitude or mantra to justify being self-destructive, or harmful -- that is not the point. it's more about applying it in a way, that combats the mundane insecurities i've faced and experienced in a range of extremes, which otherwise get in the way of personal growth.