No is a full sentence. I use it early. I use it often. I do not trade peace for proximity, status, or someone else’s comfort.
My boundaries are not suggestions. They are gates I own the keys to. If a room tries to reduce me, I leave. If a conversation poisons the air, I log off. If a relationship starves my soul, I choose distance and keep moving.
What you see is what you get. My core does not shift to fit a crowd. I show up aligned. I show up consistent. I show up myself.
I dress the part. I act the part. I take up space on purpose. Your discomfort is not my problem. My presence is not an apology.
Keep your negativity parked outside; it will be towed. I do not host drama, rumor, or the echo of he said she said. I am busy building a life with meaning. Every yes is paid for with time.
I am in competition with my last draft, my last habit, my last excuse. I study. I pivot. I grow. I improve because I refuse to stay small. Self-pity is a trap I do not step in. Blame is a mirror I do not hold.
Your opinion is not my oxygen. Your whispers do not move me. I am guided by conviction, not chatter. By vision, not noise. I live at a higher frequency; static gets cut.
If you mistake kindness for access, you will be corrected. If you test my boundaries, you will meet the gate. If you bring peace, purpose, or truth, you will find a seat at my table.
Know the rules before your bias speaks for you. This is my life. My time. My energy. I am one hundred percent authentic, and I plan to stay that way.
I am in the process of finishing up Mel Robbins’ book The Let Them Theory and let me tell you, I’ve never identified with something this deeply. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been learning how to let them, to let people think what they think, do what they do, and reveal who they truly are without letting it shake me. It’s been a lesson in release, in protecting my peace without explanation.
I’ve had to remind myself that not everyone will understand my growth, my silence, or my boundaries. And that’s okay. Let them misunderstand. Let them drift. Let them choose differently. Because every time I’ve stopped trying to control the outcome, I’ve found more of myself waiting on the other side.
It’s freeing, really. To stop chasing closure or clarity and start choosing calm. To let life unfold as it should, without forcing what isn’t meant to stay. That’s the beauty of letting them, it’s not about indifference; it’s about reclaiming your power and giving yourself permission to rise unbothered.
Let Them!
Two simple words that unravel everything you thought you had to control.
This isn’t just a theory, it’s a practice. A quiet revolution. The art of release. It’s learning to stop gripping people so tightly that you lose your own pulse. It’s giving others the freedom to show you who they are and giving yourself the grace to believe them.
Let them talk. Let them leave. Let them misunderstand you. Let them think you’ve changed. Because maybe you have, and maybe that’s the point.
The Let Them Theory is a lesson in power. Not the kind you flex, but the kind you protect. It teaches you that peace isn’t found in trying to be chosen, it’s found in choosing yourself again and again, even when it costs you comfort.
It’s about learning to stand still while the world spins with noise and judgment and realizing you don’t have to prove your worth by chasing what keeps slipping away. You just let them, and in doing so, you let yourself be.
This is a book you don’t just read; you live. You breathe it in the moments you bite your tongue instead of explaining yourself. You feel it when you stop over-giving. You embody it the day you stop begging for peace and start being peace.
It’s a guide for the soft-hearted, the overthinkers, the ones who love deeply and are finally learning that love without boundaries is self-betrayal. It’s not a story of detachment; it’s the story of reclamation.
Because when you let them, you let go of the illusion of control and step into the quiet truth of who you are: whole, grounded, and free.
This poem is my reminder, that letting go isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. It’s peace wearing armor. It’s the freedom to stand in who I am without needing permission or validation.
Let Them!
by Paragonwords
Let them talk. Let them twist your name into stories they were never brave enough to live. Let them misunderstand your silence, your softness, your distance.
Let them.
Let them fall away like leaves that were never meant to survive the winter. You are not obligated to chase what detaches itself. You are not required to bleed for closure. Peace does not demand witnesses, only surrender.
Let them choose someone else. Let them forget your worth until the echo of you haunts their better judgment. Let them walk into rooms that used to hold your laughter and feel the hollowness of what they took for granted.
Let them go. Even when your hands ache from release. Even when your heart begs to run after what broke it. Let them.
Because you cannot carry people who crave their own destruction. You cannot beg for presence from those addicted to your absence. You cannot be light in the house of someone who worships shadow.
So let them! drift, vanish, betray, distance, disappear. Let them teach you what your boundaries could never say aloud.
And when the noise fades, when the silence finally becomes familiar, you will hear the truth whisper, they were never yours to keep.
You will breathe differently. Stand taller. Move through rooms without explaining your worth.
Because what leaves was never love. What stays! what remains when everything else falls away, is you.
Still here. Still whole. Still choosing peace over permission.
When was the last time you truly raised your standards?
Paragonwords
Not in theory. Not in talk. But in the quiet corners of your life where comfort hides and mediocrity whispers stay right here.
So many people wonder why they feel drained, uninspired, or trapped in the same patterns year after year.
It’s because they’ve built a home inside their own limitations, surrounded by people who think small, dream small, and live small.
We blame circumstances, timing, exhaustion… but the truth is simpler:
We’ve stopped expecting more from ourselves.
Raising your standards is not glamorous.
It means letting go of people who no longer fit your growth.
It means having hard conversations with yourself about the energy you tolerate, the distractions you feed, and the voices you allow to echo in your mind.
It means outgrowing environments that reward your silence and resent your ambition.
Paragonwords
If your life feels like a loop, the same arguments, the same heartbreaks, the same frustrations, it’s not fate. It’s repetition. It’s a mirror showing you that you’ve outgrown the version of yourself still trying to make peace with the bare minimum.
You are not meant to live stuck in cycles that drain your brilliance.
You are meant to rise.
And rising requires standards, higher ones, sharper ones, unwavering ones.
There is a power in choosing light when the world offers only shadows. It takes courage to resist the pull of anger, to stand firm in love when hate feels easier.
But Dr. King’s words remind us that we are not meant to mirror the darkness, we are meant to illuminate it.
Hatred multiplies where love is absent, and darkness thrives when we forget to shine. Yet, even the smallest flicker of light can transform the night.
To choose love is to choose transformation, to believe that healing is possible even in the face of deep divides. Let us be the light that lingers, the love that endures, and the change that rises from within.
Around this time of year, when everything seems alive, and love congregates in the streets, when people are preparing to gather and embrace each other, when memories come alive and the season of love and light softens our hearts……..
…….and here you are today, with the burden of heaviness! Unable to feel joy, or love, or peace. Blinded by loss and loneliness, you stay hidden in a home that misses your smile, that wants nothing more than to remind you, that you are precious and dearly loved. 🥰
As the new year unfolds, let us step into its promise with hearts wide open, choosing to love without restrictions.
Let us cast aside the conditions we place on ourselves and others, the expectations, the hesitations and dare to offer love as it is meant to be, boundless, unafraid, and true.
For in doing so, we create space not just for connection but for transformation.
Until We Meet Again: A Grief Journal” is a sacred space for those navigating the journey of grief. It is a place where hope finds its voice, where healing begins its tender work, and where the memory of a loved one is honored with every heartfelt word. This journal is a companion, offering solace and understanding, as you navigate the complex emotions of loss. Through reflection and remembrance, may you find comfort in the love that remains, and may each page be a testament to the enduring bond that lives on until you meet again.
As you write, reflect, and remember, may you find comfort in the beautiful moments you shared and strength in the love that will forever remain. Each page is a gentle reminder that you are not alone in your grief, and that hope shines brightly even in the darkest moments.
“Grief is the price we pay for having loved deeply.”
“Grief is the echo of love, a reminder that our bonds are eternal”
Welcome to The Grief Keeper Journal, a sanctuary for your emotions, and a companion through the journey of loss. This journal is more than a collection of pages; it’s a haven designed to hold your grief, your thoughts, and your healing process.
The Grief Keeper is uniquely yours. Every tear-stained page, every colored illustration, and every written word is a step towards understanding and accepting your grief. Use this journal as a trusted friend, a silent witness to your pain, and a gentle guide towards healing. Remember, this journey is not yours alone, this grief journal is here to accompany you every step of the way. Allow it to be a safe space where you can confront, explore, and ultimately, give your grief the tenderness it deserves.
Blessings! Nikki Sterling @paragonwords Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads and BookBub 💗
Living a full and meaningful life is not about staying within the shadows, hidden from the world’s gaze.
It’s about stepping boldly into the light, embracing the complexity of human connection, and leaving an indelible mark on hearts and lives.
It’s found in the quiet strength of listening intently to another’s story, in the courage to speak truth to power without fear of consequence, and in the relentless pursuit of empathy even in the face of adversity.
A life well-lived is not measured by accolades or material wealth, but by the depth of compassion shown to those who need it most, by the resilience to rise from setbacks with grace and determination, and by the willingness to challenge the status quo in pursuit of justice and equity.
But oh! to live meaningfully is to cultivate relationships that transcend superficiality, to nurture dreams that ignite passion and purpose, and to navigate the complexities of existence with humility and authenticity.
In every interaction, every decision made with integrity, and every moment of vulnerability shared, we carve our legacy, an imprint on the hearts and souls of others that resonates far beyond our physical presence. It is this essence of genuine connection and unwavering commitment to making a difference that defines a life lived fully and meaningfully.
There are times in life when everything seems to be falling apart, and it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. In those moments, finding a reason to smile can seem impossible. But it’s precisely in these times that a small glimmer of hope can make all the difference. Even when the odds are stacked against you, a smile can be a quiet rebellion, a way of telling the world that you refuse to be defeated.
Holding onto hope when darkness looms close isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about resilience. It’s about acknowledging the struggles and pain, yet still believing that better days are coming. Hope is the thread that connects us to our future selves, reminding us that no matter how tough things get, we have the strength to endure and the promise of brighter days ahead. Keep smiling, not because it’s easy, but because it’s a testament to your inner strength and unwavering spirit.
Paragonwords 