There Is No Health Without Mental Health (8/21)

This is so painful but it might help you understand yourself better.

Trauma, especially when it happens early in life, can deeply ingrain the belief that we’re only worthy of the smallest amounts of love—like breadcrumbs.

If you grew up in an environment where affection or approval was inconsistent, you may have learned that love was something you had to earn or that it only came in small doses.

Over time, this belief becomes part of your identity, and without realizing it, you carry it with you into adulthood.

As adults, this shows up in settling for less in relationships, friendships, and even in the opportunities we allow ourselves to pursue.