Some mornings, the first thing I hear isn’t an alarm, but a voice already disappointed in me. Before I even get out of bed, she’s there: “You should have done more yesterday.” “You’re already behind.” “Why can’t you get it together like everyone else?” When I catch my reflection, she notices every flaw before I can blink. When I try something new, she whispers that I’ll fail. When I succeed, she insists that it wasn’t enough to matter.
Ohio, United States