Nobody Is Coming To Save You

(…and that’s not as depressing as it sounds)

First off, sorry for the little hiatus. I was travelling and left all my devices in my desk drawer, intentionally trying to give my mind (and eyes) a break from my screen. But I am back now, refreshed with new insight!

Here is what I was thinking about when my flight got delayed and I was stuck in the airport for an extra two hours, with limited snacks and spotty wifi.

At some point in the heroic journey of being a human, there comes a terrifying realization: Nobody is coming to save you.

There is no magical mentor with a lantern. No perfectly-attuned partner who will read your mind. No boss who will suddenly reward your quiet suffering with a promotion and a corner office scented with lavender. Parents can’t intervene the same way they used to. Not even your therapist (hi 👋🏼) is going to swoop in and do the hard stuff for you.

You can stop waiting for the cavalry. They’re not coming. And weirdly, that might be the best thing you hear all week.

Because yes, it sounds harsh. (And maybe a little dramatic, if I am being honest.) But what it really means is: you don’t have to wait for someone else to change your life. You’re already allowed to start. You can spend years outsourcing your power, waiting for someone else to tell you what to do, how to fix it, or how to feel. But eventually, it clicks: This is your mess. Your move. Your responsibility.

This doesn’t mean you can’t lean on people. Please do.
It doesn’t mean you should do it all alone. You shouldn't.
It just means the decision to grow, heal, set boundaries, take the meds, leave the relationship, forgive yourself, or get out your butt to the gym... starts with you.

Sure, we all want a rescue story. But a plot twist is way more captivating. So, congratulations! You are the hero you’ve been waiting for.

Today, I invite you to take the tiniest step forward, whatever that may look like. To go to therapy. To apply for the new job. To ask for help. To stop texting him back. To reparent yourself. To stop living on autopilot. To interrupt the pattern.

You can even give your journey a cool name, and document it to make it fun. For example, I am currently in the middle of my own rescue mission (codename: Finding Maria) and turns out, she is funnier and braver than I remember ◡̈ .

Closing reflection before I hit submit and rush to make breakfast: What’s one thing you’ve been hoping someone else would rescue you from, that you might actually be capable of handling yourself?

—Maria